Tears of a Victor
by Ironicduck
Summary: I've heard people say that from the moment your name is drawn from that Reaping bowl, you never really leave the Games. I didn't understand this when I was younger. I thought the moment you left the arena, you were showered with riches and left to lead whatever life you choose, free of any of the shackles that the rest of the population has to deal with. I was wrong.
1. Chapter 1

ATTENTION NEW READERS: This is a sequel to 'The 44th Annual Hunger Games', however, to not alienate any new readers, I've uploaded a brief summary of the it on the last page of that story. Just give it a quick read to know what happened. It's not hugely relevant to this story, but it gives you an idea as to why Connor is in the situation he is :)

Now, this is just an introduction chapter, so it's very short, but I'll post the next chapter with it :) So, enjoy and I love reviews - they really help me to improve and to know what you like and dislike. Enjoy!

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Following the rebellion, the District was left a wreck. Many factories and houses had been reduced to rubble, and now as our team searches through the broken slabs of brick and concrete, it is impossible to tell the original use of the building.

The roof is still pretty much intact, but the inside is scattered with collapsed walls, and I'm forced into stepping carefully as I make my way through the rubble. At the end of the room, there is a door, which still remains strong, and I have to shove at it several times with my shoulder before it eventually gives in, creaking open. I step in, surveying the room.

It's coated in dust, but the majority of the items in it are undamaged – a rarity in a building of this state. Cautiously, I make my way to the other side of the room, where a desk stands. It is coated with all kinds of junk – papers, books, gadgets, wires. I wonder if, during the rebellion, someone made this their hideout. After rummaging through the assortment of objects, I'm just about to leave when something catches my eye. A tiny little blue light is periodically flashing from a metal device. Picking it up, the shape seems familiar. The peacekeepers used to use devices like this when we were under the rule of the Capitol. If I remember correctly, it's a hologram projector.

I flip it onto its back, revealing a button labelled 'play'. I press it and a light at the end of the device creates a hologram of a man, from his shoulders up. The second I see the face, I gasp, recognising the man instantly. But my reaction is cut short when the man starts speaking.

'I am recording this in case anyone ever finds it. In case the rebellion fails. If it does fail and the Capitol continues its reign over the Districts, the history books will tell you the blame lies on the Victors. People who've killed to survive. People like Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. But it doesn't.

I've heard people say that from the moment your name is drawn from that Reaping bowl, you never really leave the Games. I didn't understand this when I was younger. I thought the moment you left the arena, you were showered with riches and left to lead whatever life you choose, free of any of the shackles that the rest of the population has to deal with. I was wrong.

The Capitol has taken everything from me. Everything I've ever loved is gone. They don't tell you this. They let you believe that, if you can survive the Games, you'll never have to worry about anything ever again. But now it's time you know the truth.

My name is Connor Jedd, Victor of the 44th Hunger Games. And this is the story of how I died.'


	2. Chapter 2

So, here it is - a large chapter to compensate for the short intro. Enjoy and, of course, review!

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-_April 23__rd__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

'We'll be arriving in District 5 in fifteen minutes' one of the train attendees informs me before leaving me to my thoughts.

I'm all cried out, and now I just want to be home. For this whole ordeal to be over. The post-Games interview was horrific. I had to watch and smile for an hour whilst they showed various montages of the Games I so desperately wanted to forget. And what was worse was that they wanted me to comment on them. They'd show the horrific death of a tribute I knew and then ask _how did this make you feel?_ How the hell did they think it made me feel? _Oh, yeah, it was great, thanks – watching my friends die, really enjoyed that bit!_ Idiots.

Then was the crowning ceremony. That was alright I guess, but I couldn't help feeling that the crown shouldn't belong to me. I should be dead, and someone else should be the Victor. Now, _finally_, I'm on my way back to District 5 – my home. My mentors, Tyga and Tobi, had told me that there would be celebrating, but I wasn't that bothered about it, as the celebrations here would be genuine, unlike the fake naivety of the Capitol. I remember when Tyga won, two years ago. There had been street parties and celebration. It was so rare for us to get a Victor that this was a moment to enjoy.

I hear a hiss and turn to see the doors of the carriage open and Tyga walks in, wearing a blue dress that cuts off at the knees. Her fiery hair curls downwards, and she has heavy eye makeup. She places herself on the seat opposite me.

'You alright?' she asks, concern evident in her voice.

'Yeah' I reply, attempting at a smile.

'Remember, there will still be cameras when we get off the train. We're not out of the spotlight yet. But, remember that you won – you're still alive. So give them a little smile. Let the Capitol know you're not defeated. It'll only be for a day or two.'

I nod, and she tells me that we should get ready for arrival. I'm wearing a dark blue suit, and my prep team were onboard the train to sort out my appearance. I've made sure to keep my token, a metal bracelet made by a girl in my home District, on my wrist at all times. We meet Tobi at the door, as the train slows to a halt. He's wearing a black suit, with a crimson tie, and his hair is still white with red streaks. I'm positioned in front of my mentors – the spotlight will be on me.

As we feel the train stop, I can hear the bustle of people outside. I take a deep breath, and press the button to open the door. The second the Capitol paparazzi get a glimpse of us, flashes are blinding my view, but I can see a large crowd of people, recognisably from my district. A loud cheer sounds as I step out of the train and they all get a full look at me. I scan the area and suddenly I see who I've been looking for.

Standing behind a row of cameramen are Tristan and Pura, my siblings. I dash towards them, shoving the Capitol cameras out of my way. Within seconds, I'm embracing them. Tears are gushing from Pura's eyes as her fragile figure grips hold of me. I can hear the crowd cheering for me, but I've blocked them out. All that matters is my brother and sister.

'We knew you'd come back.' I hear Tristan whisper in my ear. But they didn't. I didn't even think I'd be coming home.

I hold onto them for several minutes before Tobi comes and taps me on the shoulder.

'They want you to make a speech' he says.

I initially want to say no, but Tristan and Pura encourage me to.

'Everyone's been rooting for you.' Pura says between tears.

So, I step up onto the raised platform that has been set up. Now I'm higher up, I can appreciate the sheer volume of people there are here. There's got to be hundreds of them. A microphone has been set up on the middle of the stage, and when I speak into it, the whole area goes quiet, aside from the clicks and flashes of the cameras.

'Uh...' I don't know how to start. 'Um, I guess it- it's good to be home. I- I'd like to thank you for your continued support. I know it's not easy watching the Games. I've watched them from home, every year, like you have. And it's not easy. But, being in the Games. Well, there's no way to prepare for that.'

I don't have to lie. I'm not in the Capitol anymore, and I'm going to tell the truth.

'But, I was lucky. I had two brilliant mentors, and I know they did all they could to keep me alive. Now, there's not much left to say – you've all seen the Games. You know what happened. But I'd just like to add something.' I inhale a deep breath. 'I know many of you were supporting me, but I know that you would have equally been supporting Ace. So, I'd just like to say I'm sorry. She saved my life, and she should have won. And if it's okay with all of you, I'd like us all to take a minute to remember her.'

I stand away from the microphone, and the whole area descends into silence, except for the flashes from the Capitol cameramen who don't even have the common decency to stop taking photos for just one minute. But I ignore them, and remember Ace. I think about how she saved me in the Cornucopia. How she helped me survive the first night. How she helped me defeat the Careers. She knew about the Games, and it was only down to her that I won.

It's probably been longer than a minute when I return to the microphone.

'Thank you.' I say, and then leave the stage.

The applause is hesitant, but when it does come, it is thunderous.

After weeks of sleeping in unfamiliar Capitol beds, or on rocky ground in the arena, I have the best night's sleep I've had in a month. My bed makes me feel so safe. Of course, whilst I say it was a good night's sleep, I still had terrible nightmares, but I didn't wake up screaming, which has happened every other night since I won the Games.

We have a new house in the Victor's village now, but most of our old furniture, including my bed has been moved into the new house. This now means Tyga and Tobi are our neighbours. I get out of bed, and head downstairs. I'm not really used to stairs. Our old house wasn't small, but it was a bungalow, so all of our bedrooms were located on the ground floor.

When I arrive in the kitchen, Tristan is the only one awake. He's poured himself a glass of orange juice and is now sitting in one of our new armchairs, reading FIVE. FIVE is District 5's only newspaper. It's not usually very thick – I'm pretty sure the Capitol monitors its content before it can be published. The last three editors of it all went missing, and now it's just usually a general roundup of what's going on in the District. Occasionally you get an article about another District, but I have a strong suspicion that it's just propaganda added by the Capitol to keep people at ease.

Tristan himself is well-built and fairly tall. We share a lot of the same facial traits, but his features are matured and defined and his jaw line is more prominent, making him significantly more attractive. I imagine that we will look very similar in a few years. However, where I have blond hair that grows down into my eyes, he has short brown hair.

It's a refreshing sight to see him so relaxed. A few days ago, he finished his job. The money I get because of winning is easily enough to pay our bills, so it's not necessary for him to work anymore. This is the first time since he started working at the age of 12 that he's ever not had a job. Shortly after Pura was born, our mum had left us. I don't know where she went, but if she tried to escape the District, you can guarantee that she's not still alive. Dad had a good job – he earned quite a lot, but when I was 7 and Tristan had just turned 12, Dad's health started deteriorating. He couldn't always get to work, so Tristan had started working part time at one of the factories. Two years later, Dad had died, leaving Tristan to look after the family, at just fourteen.

We moved in with our neighbours, but as soon as Tristan turned eighteen, we returned to our old house. Dad had left us quite a bit of money, and with Tristan working, Pura and I were able to spend our whole time in school. I'll never be able to properly thank him for this, but I'm glad that he can now live the rest of his life free from working.

It's a few moments before he notices me, but when he does he smiles and gestures for me to sit on one of the couches. I select the couch nearest to him, and curl up onto it.

'Did you sleep well?' he asks, putting his copy of FIVE down and paying full attention to me.

'Yeah' I reply hesitantly.

'I heard you thrashing in the night' he says, as though he's uncovered some big truth I've been hiding.

'Yeah,' I say, 'There might be a fair bit of that in the nights to come.'

Tristan nods, without saying anything, so I pick up the conversation.

'I bet it was odd today to not go into work'

He chuckles. 'Yeah, it was a bit. Gonna have to get used to that, I guess. I won't know what to do with myself! Mason and the guys are coming round in a bit – the factory's closed today for maintenance apparently, We're gonna head down the town. Want to come?'

I know the offer was genuine, but I'm pretty sure Tristan knows that I'll decline. Mason's alright, but I've never really spoken to the rest of the guys, and I tend to stay out of the way if they ever come round. I shake my head.

'No. I think I'll go for a walk. I've missed District 5.' I reply.

I go back upstairs and get showered. Our new bathroom is unnecessarily large, but the shower is really refreshing. I get changed into a white shirt and sandy trousers, and then leave the house. I'm a bit hungry, but I might grab a bite to eat from the bakery or something. As I leave, I stuff a few coins into my pocket. Finances are no longer an issue.

The morning has a slight chill to it, but it's sunny, and I'd imagine it'll get warm later. The Victor's Village, my new home, consists of an optimistic twelve houses, only three of which are occupied. It's obvious to tell which are in use. Tyga's house is opposite ours, and is in perfect condition, with a garden covered in colourful flowers, opening up in spring. Tobi's is further along to the right, and is also in a similar shape. The other houses have chipped paint and whilst the gardens are well-maintained, no effort has been made to enhance their appearance.

I walk down into town. District 5 is fairly industrialised, but the more public areas, like the village, have trees and green spaces. With my stomach rumbling, as soon as I arrive in the village, I walk into the bakery, a bell ringing as I enter.

'Connor!' Mr. Tyne cries as he notices me, a smile stretching across his face.

Mr. Tyne is a plump man in his fifties, with a black moustache that curls around his lip. He's run the bakery for as long as I've been alive, and is almost always smiling and making jokes. A woman and her young daughter browse the shop and I see the mother eye me with suspicion, before attempting at a smile. She then swiftly returns to browsing.

'Hey, Mr. Tyne' I say, smiling back at the baker.

'Great to have ya back!' he says enthusiastically 'I tell ya what, I always knew you'd come back! Me and the missus watched every single one of yer interviews.'

I smile back at him. I'm startled he's brought up the topic of the arena, but it's somewhat refreshing to here someone talk about it so casually. It makes me feel at ease to know that, whilst it's a fragile subject, we can still discuss it.

'Thanks, Mr. Tyne. I appreciate the support.'

'So, Connor, what can I do ya for?'

'Just the usual District 5 loaf please.'

'Ahh...' he says, getting the loaf out of the display case, and wrapping it up. 'Just like the one ya had in the arena? Well, lemme tell ya somethin' – the Capitol personally contacted me for the recipe!'

He throws his head back and laughs, and I see Mrs. Tyne, a skinny woman with grey hair, appear from the backroom.

'He's been tellin' everyone that he was the sole reason you won!' she says with a chuckle.

Eventually, Mr. Tyne stops laughing and hands me the loaf with a smile. I grab some coins out of my pocket and place them on the counter, telling him to keep the change. With a wave to the Tynes, I leave the shop, the bell ringing as I do. But, just before the door closes, I hear the little girl ask her mother a question.

'Mummy, is he the boy that killed all those people?'

'Yes. Yes, he is' the woman replies, and the door swings shut.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I've unexpectedly been writing WAY more than I thought I would, so I have a lot of chapters ready to post. Anyway, for new readers, I typically update every Monday, however, I've decided that if I get 3 reviews for a chapter, I'll post the next one early, and I'll do this for every week that I get 3 reviews. This will be maximum of 2 a week though, and unfortunately I can't usually update Thursday-Saturday. So, to sum up - review!

Anyways, the first few chapters are really based on establishing Connor's relationship with the other characters (both old and new) and his District. So, enjoy!

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-_May 2__nd__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

The pity. That's the worst thing, I think. In the Capitol, you can at least hide behind the fame and adoration. But here, where children can be reaped, everyone knows what you went through, and none of them respect you for it. They're not horrible. Quite the opposite actually – they're mostly understanding. But, I can't help but feel as though people avoid me, taking caution whenever I speak to them to make sure they don't hit some emotional landmine.

I still have friends from before – I should be grateful for that. I know some of the less humane Victors return home to empty lives. And then I've got Tristan and Pura. Tristan tried to stop Pura from seeing as much of the Games as possible, but she would always refuse if told to leave. Apparently, when Tristan first stopped her, she regularly climbed out of her window to watch the footage from a neighbour's house – none of whom had the heart to turn her away. Eventually he just gave up and let her watch it. He said that whilst I'd been gone, several people who knew me, even very slightly, had left gifts for Tristan and Pura – some rolls from Mr and Mrs. Tyne, a glass vase from my art teacher, one of the older kids from my school even wrote a song dedicated to me. Apparently it brought Pura and (almost) Tristan to tears. As wonderful as this is, I can't help but feel that each of these gifts represented condolences for my soon-to-be death in the Games, which everyone would've expected.

I didn't sleep well last night. The nightmares have returned the last few nights, and I've often found myself waking up, screaming. The house is big enough that the screams can't be heard from Pura's room, but Tristan's room's closer, and whilst he doesn't complain, I'm certain they wake him up. Last night, I saw Teal attack me, but I was too scared to protect myself, so I just watched as she killed me over and over again. Her and Ace are the most frequent visitors in my nightmares, but almost every tribute has made an appearance at one point or another.

When I get up, it must be around 5am – the sun's not risen yet. I should go back to sleep, but there's no way that's happening, so I head downstairs. I pour myself a glass of orange juice and pick up Tristan's copy of FIVE. The headline reminds me that today's the day I'd been anticipating for the last week – the first day back of school. I'm in two minds about returning. I don't have to go back. Many young Victors don't, and it's probably going to be uncomfortable. But, then there's the longing for a sense of normality. Since winning the Games, there has been no sense of routine, and I miss that.

I decided yesterday that I would return. I always have the option to drop out if I want to. FIVE's first few pages are about news relating to the school starting again – schedules, new facilities etc., but after them I find a few pages about the Games. I suppose this is the biggest thing to happen in District 5 since Tyga's victory, so I guess it's not surprising that they're still publishing articles about me. I decide not to read on, and put the newspaper down.

I get lost in my thoughts and the next hour and a half disappear quickly. Before I know it, Tristan and Pura are awake and eating breakfast at the table. I join them, and we have cereal together. Pura's not sure how she feels about going back to school – she's at that age where she will decide whether school is seen as a gift or a burden to her, and then never change her mind. Right now, she's optimistic, although she has already questioned the point of her going into school when she'll probably never need to get a job, as we live off my winnings. Tristan, however, is adamant that she attends school and, for now, she's not arguing.

It would appear that my screams didn't wake her up, but Tristan has bags under his eyes, so I guess his sleep was disrupted my mine. After breakfast, I go upstairs and change into my school uniform. Well, I say "uniform", but really they just ask that we look smart, so for me that's just a white shirt and dark trousers. Pura and I walk to school together, her in a white blouse with a grey skirt and tights.

My stomach knots itself as we arrive at the gates. I can already see several pairs of eyes pointing in my direction. As we walk further through the school courtyard, it just gets worse. More and more eyes judge me with each step. Pura says goodbye to me at one point and skips towards her friends, oblivious of the tension. My body is shivering, but I'm sweating with anxiety.

In a flood of relief, I spot two of my friends – Kennedy and Shay. I quicken my pace as I walk over to them, eager to get out of the spotlight and blend into the crowd. I haven't spoken to either of them since the Reaping over a month ago. I remember seeing them in the crowd when I first returned, but I was too busy embracing my siblings to pay them any attention.

'Let's go inside.' Shay says, before I get a chance to speak.

We manoeuvre through the groups of students and work our way into the school building. It is much less busy in here, a welcome change, and it is here that the pair embrace me in a big hug.

'Well done, mate' Kennedy says with a smile.

He's a year older than me, with brown hair and a strong jaw line. He was originally Shay's friend, but I hung around with her so much that we eventually bonded and now he's basically a brother to me. Shay is shorter than me, with thick blonde hair that goes down to her waist, tied back with a floral hairband.

'You could have come and seen us' Kennedy says quietly.

Shay slaps him in the stomach. 'Kennedy! I'm pretty sure Connor had bigger things on his mind.'

'Oh. Yeah.' He says awkwardly, blushing.

There's a small silence, before Kennedy continues.

'So, what were they like? The Games?'

'_Kennedy_!' Shay's elbow makes contact with his ribs, and he crookedly squirms.

'Really, Shay, it's fine. It's a part of my life now, I guess. I can't just ignore it.'

She nods.

'So, anything happen while I was gone?' I ask, in an attempt to break the mood.

'Not really. Mostly just watched the Games. The school was open for people to come and watch the Games. It was quite good really – moral support and all that.' Kennedy replies.

'Lots of people were supporting you. Maisy was there, and Vanne, and a bunch of the year 9 girls. They were all supporting you.' Shay adds.

'And Joe and his mates.' Kennedy continues with a laugh.

Joe and his friends were the only people I didn't get on with at school. They were a horrible group of guys in their final year. They never laid a finger on me, but from across the room, they'd always been shouting ridiculous insults, leaving the other guys laughing their heads off and me trying to ignore their jeers.

'What's funny about that?' I ask. Shay's eyes avoid my gaze.

'Well, when Ace killed that District 7 girl at the start, and you reacted, the guys were making jokes about stupid ways that you were gonna die.' Kennedy stifles a chuckle, 'So Shay went right up to Joe, told him to repeat it, and then socked him in the nose. Drew blood and everything!'

He doesn't hold back, and splutters with laughter. I join in, picturing the scene in my head. Joe's smug face tarnished with blood, by a girl half his size. Even Shay shares a modest giggle. And then we're all laughing, and Kennedy's laugh makes me laugh even more. And soon we're just laughing for the sake of laughing, and it feels so good. I haven't laughed – like, _properly_ laughed – since I won the Games. And for that brief moment, I forget how horrible life can be, and cling onto this little patch of happiness I've found with both hands, making sure it stays with me for as long as it possibly can.


	4. Chapter 4

Hiya :) So, this is chapter 4 - it's more about character development, than interesting story at the moment, but it's all important stuff. So, as usual, enjoy and review! Oh, and I forgot to put a disclaimer at the start so here it is:

Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games. The majority of characters in this fanfic are of my own creation, but they are not all (for example, Caesar, Brutus, Haymitch and many others).

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-_May 8__th__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

I wake up screaming, tears streaming down my face. I've had nightmares almost every night, but this is, without a doubt, the worst. I was in the arena, and a selection of tributes started attacking me. One by one, I killed them off, but when I came to look at the dead bodies I saw Tristan and Melissa lying on Shay and Kennedy in a pool of blood. Then, someone else attacked me and without a second thought, I plunged a knife into her stomach. As I repeatedly stabbed the girl in the chest, I suddenly saw her face, and it was Pura. But, I didn't stop. I kept stabbing her, blood rupturing from her body. That's when I woke up.

Usually I scream for a few seconds and then realise I'm safe, but tonight's different. The dream seems to seep into reality, and all around me I can see pools of blood. I'm still screaming.

Tristan rushes into my room. He did this the first night I woke up screaming, but I told him not too, but he's sensed how different this one is. He wraps his right arm around me, rubbing my back, without saying anything. I revert back to when he used to comfort me when I was a little kid, and just weep onto his chest. The shadows are stealing the blood away now, and I start to calm a little, but I am still shaking. Every detail of the dream is as vivid as when I was experiencing it.

We hear a floorboard creak, and a door at the end of the hall swing open. Pura's awake.

'Don't let her see me like this.' I whimper to Tristan.

He nods, and leaves the room. I hear him tell Pura to go back to sleep – she questions him, but he's insistent and she's tired, so eventually I hear her bedroom door shut. Tristan returns, his strong build leaning on the doorframe. He's an amazing brother, but there's not much he can really do to comfort me now. There are only 43 other people in the whole of Panem who can understand what I'm going through, and two of them are our neighbours.

I tell Tristan to go back to bed. He doesn't, so I tell him that I need to go to Tyga's. He's a little cautious at first, but accepts that I'm going to do it whether he thinks I should or not. I slip on a few light clothes and walk across the street to Tyga's. Her house is completely dark, with the exception of five candles that glow from inside her living room window. I ring the doorbell.

I realise I'm still crying, so I try to wipe away my tears. A light comes on from behind the door, and it swings the hell open. She starts speaking before she even appears in my vision

'What the hell is your problem?! Do you-'

When she comes in to view, she sees my tear-stained face, and her tone drops into one of comfort.

'Oh, Connor.'

She takes me in her arms, like I was a young child, and ushers me inside.

'Tea? Coffee?' she asks.

'Just a water please.' I reply.

In a few moments, she returns with a glass of water and places it on the coffee table in front of me. I take a sip of it.

'Does it happen every night?' she asks, concernedly.

'Mostly. Not like tonight though.' I reply.

She nods.

'It does get better you know,' she says with a smile, and then quietly adds 'At least, that's what Tobi tells me.'

The conversation pauses as I take a gulp of water. The tears have dried up now, and my face feels weak and scratchy. My voice is slightly hoarse after the screams, but the water's helping it.

'How do you cope?' I ask. I don't know if I will be able to deal with spending every night plagued with nightmares.

'Everyone deals with it in different ways' she replies 'Some people paint, some write about it – finding a hobby is a good way to keep your mind off things. Most Victors have one, it's encouraged, but you have school so that could work for you.'

School. Ugh. My first week back wasn't great. Joe and the guys had avoided me, which was good, but so had mostly everyone else. Kennedy and Shay stuck with me, and I spoke to a few of my classmates, but I wasn't picked for answers by the teachers, and corridors became quieter when I walked through them. It wasn't pleasant.

'But something that I've found really helps me is this.'

Tyga gets up and walks over to the candles, beckoning me to join her. I get up, and walk with her.

'Tobi showed me this,' she continues. 'Every night, I light a candle for someone whose death I feel responsible for.'

There are five candles. Five deaths that Tyga feels responsible for.

'I feel like, once I've lit the candle, I've acknowledged their death. I've acknowledged that their death still means everything to me, and it still haunts me. But, I don't have to hurt anymore.'

She gazes into the flames – specifically the middle candle. I wonder if that was someone important to her.

'It's hard to explain, but it helps me.' She looks away from the candles, and back at me. 'And it lets me move on.'

I remember back to when I found Tyga crying over the prospect that either Ace or I (probably both) would die. I hadn't understood it then, but now I see the connection a mentor has to the Games is unbreakable.

I stay at Tyga's long enough to see colours leak into the sky as the sun appears. I regularly offer to go if Tyga wants to go back to sleep, but she insists that she's not tired. Her fiery hair is untamed when she's not in front of the cameras, but it creates a nice style. I sometimes forget how she's only three years older than me when she's giving me advice but, in reality, she's still a newcomer to the ways of the Games.

At around eight, when the sky is cloudless and a warm breeze occupies the District, I leave Tyga's house and return home. It's a weekend, so Pura doesn't have to go to school, but when I return, both her and Tristan are up, milling around the kitchen. Tristan is cooking some breakfast, and Pura is talking to him.

Pura has dark blonde hair, that's tied up into a loose ponytail with a pink ribbon. Where Tristan and I both look like my father, she resembles a mixture of both parents. My memory of my mother is rapidly fading, but when Pura's face is in a certain position, I'll occasionally get a glimpse of her, and this keeps the roots of the memory intact.

'Connor's back!' Pura calls to Tristan when she notices me, and he turns his head back at me.

'Hey Con, a Peacekeeper dropped by a few minutes ago.'

'What?' I've lived in District 5 long enough to know that a Peacekeeper at your door is very rarely a good thing. However, the way Tristan brought it up suggests otherwise. 'Well what did they want?'

'They left this.' Pura says, getting off her chair, and bounding over to the coffee table.

She picks up an envelope and passes it to me. It has 'Mr. C. Jedd' hand written in elaborate gold ink. I carefully open it, and read it aloud.

'_Dear Mr. Jedd,_

_You are cordially invited to the 44__th__ Annual Victors Ball, to be held at Crystal Hall on May 13__th__. Attendance is not mandatory, but is highly recommended, and transport will be arranged personally from the Capitol, should you choose to attend._

_Sincerely,_

_The Honourable President Snow'_

That is all it says. A Victor's Ball? I haven't heard about that before – I guess it's not televised. At least, not to the Districts. I start out towards the door I just walked in through, but Tristan calls out to me.

'Hey, Con! Where are you going? We haven't seen you all morning! Come on, breakfast's ready.'

I debate it. The letter's not going anywhere, and the last time I saw Tristan, I was screaming and in tears. I decide to stay, and sit at the table opposite Pura. Tristan serves up a delicious fry up with eggs and bacon. I'm glad I stayed because I hadn't realised how hungry was. I eat up the meal quickly, and we chat for a while, but soon after, I leave. I do have to talk to Tyga about this.

I take the letter and head straight over to Tyga's. However, she does not answer when I ring the doorbell. I wonder where she is. None of the lights are on. Maybe she popped into town. At first, I'm lost as to where to go, but then I remember that Tobi will be even more experienced with these type of events, so I head over to his house.

A few seconds after ringing the doorbell, Tobi appears at the door. I realise this is probably the first time I've seen him without a suit, and it seems somewhat unnatural with his perfectly dyed hair. He sees the letter in my hand, and immediately lets me in. His house is the same layout as both Tyga's and mine – I guess they were all made from the same blueprint. We sit down on the couches in his living room.

'Well, what is it?' I ask. 'What's a _Victor's Ball_?'

Tobi relaxes into his chair. 'Well, it's really just a big party hosted by the Capitol that many of the Victors attend, along with a bunch of high-class Capitol powerhouses. Essentially, it's a party for the posh and the powerful.'

'So should I go?'

'Oh, yes, definitely.'

'Why?'

He laughs. 'Well for one thing, it's basically your party. You'll be the main attraction – the last Victor! But on a more important note, it's a good chance to meet the other Victors in a situation less formal than the Victory Tour.'

'But, why do I want to meet the other Victors?'

'Well, in less than a year's time, you'll be mentoring. And if you play your cards right, hopefully your tributes will get into some kind of alliance. Now, if that happens, you're gonna have to work with their mentors. Like this year – if Tyga and I had never met Glynn and Woof, do you think we would've been able to get you any sponsors?'

In the arena, Melissa and I barely got any parachutes. And one of the ones we did get was Nightlock juice so Melissa could poison me. Tobi thinks this through for a second.

'Okay, bad example' he says, shuffling awkwardly. 'But, the point is you need to have a good relationship with a fair selection of mentors – you never know who you're gonna have to work with. Plus, you'll get to meet the sponsors who sent gifts to keep you alive. And of course, most importantly, and I can't stress this enough-' he leans in closer. '-the food is very, very good.'

He then leans back into his chair, with a laugh. I join in, and pocket the letter. After the laugh fades, we sit for a while, before I bring up the conversation.

'Do you know where Tyga's gone? She was at hers half an hour ago.'

Tobi quickly covers it up, but I notice him tenses lightly. 'She's gone to the Capitol. For business. She may be gone for a week or two.'

'A week or two? But, she left so suddenly!'

'The Capitol aren't big on giving people advanced warning. When they want you – that's when they let you know.'

I don't stay for long because I know Tristan will probably be worried about me after last night, so I head home. However the talk with Tobi has reminded me of the amount of power the Capitol still has over its Victors. And it's terrifying.


	5. Chapter 5

So, this chapter is really about introducing a few new characters that may become prominent later on. By the way, if you have any questions about anything or are confused about anything, don't hesitate to message me. So, yeah - if I get 3 reviews by Wednesday evening (UK time), I'll post the next chapter early :) - so review, and enjoy!

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-_May 13__th__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

Crystal Hall is _huge_. And its name is literal – pretty much the whole bottom floor is one massive hall. The floor is a light blue marble and is sparkling. Numerous buffet tables line most of the right-hand wall, and at the end of the hall is a stage, where a live band play a variety of music for the hundreds of guests scattered across the room. Massive crystal sculptures are placed periodically throughout the room, and in the middle is a large fountain with a crystal lily in the centre.

Tyga has yet to return from her visit to the Capitol, so she is not present. I asked Tobi if she'd be here nonetheless, but he said no. On the train, Cassia and my prep team had been present and had picked out a tight black suit for me, which apparently makes me look dashing. They also cut and styled my hair, so my fringe now lifts up above my forehead, and the back of my hair is tightly trimmed. Decimus had also been there, plucky and polished as usual.

Surius joins us as we enter the hall, but I guess his prep team had not been invited. Mine, however, are behind me, chirping in awe at the spectacle before us. They recognise many of the guests and I constantly hear shrieks of '_oh my god, Miami Royce looks gorgeous!'_ or '_isn't he the guy who had that thing with Mauritia?'_.

As we enter, I stay close to Tobi, not wishing to be lost among the rainbow blur of Capitol citizens, but that doesn't stop all eyes turning to me. I get flashbacks from the first day back at school, but shake them off – these eyes don't look at me with mild fear, but with naive admiration. The rest of our group quickly disperse into the crowds, leaving just Tobi and I. I'd feel more comfortable if Tyga were here, but Tobi seems willing to help me through the social twists and turns of this event.

We walk over to the buffet, which contains a brilliant selection of every kind of food. I put a selection of brightly coloured food onto my plate, as does Tobi. I hear heels clicking behind me as someone walks over to us, so we turn to greet them.

A very attractive woman in her early twenties steps over to us. She wears a low-cut long black gown that sparkles all the way down to the knees and then evolves into a waterfall of ruffles. Her dark hair is tied up into a stylish bun, held in with a large black feather, and she wears heavy amounts of eye makeup. Tobi introduces her.

'This is Miami Royce'

She holds out a hand with long nails, painted glittering silver.

'Pleasure to meet you, Connor Jedd.'

She knows who I am. Not surprising. Everyone knows who I am. But, I recognise her too. She was a former winner of the Games, from District 1. I remember her being deadly with an axe, and using it to hack at the other Careers with ease, resulting in her victory. I take her hand, and she continues speaking.

'It must have been interesting to work with a mentor so-' she pauses, looking Tobi up and down, '-_experienced_.'

She smiles a wicked smile, and takes a sip of the cocktail in her other hand.

'Indeed it was' I reply, matching her smile. 'And I guess it paid off.'

'I guess it did. Tell me, Tobi, how is Tyga?' Miami smirks.

'She's very well, I believe' he replies, somewhat dryly 'I shall make sure she knows that you asked.'

'Thank you. Such a pity she couldn't be here tonight.'

This is said with an air of sarcasm. Miami has a chilling presence. Her cunning smiles and patronising tones make me feel at unease and, despite the contrasting situations, I can easily recognise the axe-wielding killing machine in this glamorous young woman.

'Yes, she's in the Capitol on _business_.'

'Oh.' Miami's smirk quickly fades. Tobi's certainly hiding something, but I daren't lose my guide for the evening by poking my nose in where it's not welcome. 'By the way, Connor' she addresses me once more, changing the subject, 'Congratulations on your victory.'

'Thank you' I say. I've learnt to accept these compliments now, having given up on refusing them.

'Stopped Chant right in his tracks, eh?'

With this one statement, I feel as though someone has just dropped a tonne of bricks on top of me. Chant was one of my victims last year, and he was from District 1. Miami must have been one of his mentors, and I bet she was destroyed when I killed him. I'm speechless – how am I meant to respond to such a blatant cry of vengeance? I am eternally thankful to Tobi when he answers instead.

'He did what he had to, to win. Just like you did.'

'Oh absolutely!' Miami says, brushing off the topic with another sip of her drink, 'Absolutely! A Victor is a Victor.' She pauses. 'No matter how _fluky_ their win.'

Her lips curl up into a devious smile, before she wishes us a good evening, turning on her heel and crossing back over to the buffet, the black ruffles of her dress trailing behind her.

The next hour drags on, as one by one, Tobi introduces me to the obnoxious Capitol citizens who sponsored me. By the time the hour's over, I've already met them – all six of them. And by the way the conversations progress, it seems at least four of them sponsored District 5 as a team, and not just me independently.

By the time Brutus walks over to me, I am already bored. He's a massive man, with a shaved head and muscles that bulge. He's in his early twenties, having won the year after Miami, in the 40th Games. He has a very intimidating presence, and towers above me. A woman with aqua hair hangs off his arm, wearing a tight dress that matches her hair and shows off a large amount of cleavage. She pays very little attention to us, gazing in awe at the man she's attached to.

'Hello, District 5' Brutus says, his gruff voice addressing both Tobi and I.

'Hello, Brutus and...' Tobi trails off, waiting for Brutus to introduce his plus one.

He doesn't, and continues right on with the conversation. 'Well done on your win.'

He takes my hand in a handshake and his natural grip makes me have to force my hand not to crumple like paper.

'Thank you.' I say, holding in a cry of relief when Brutus lets my hand free.

'I'm not gonna pretend that I wasn't surprised.' he says with a snort, 'But, I guess you and that district partner of yours showed our tributes a thing or two about surprise.'

Just like when I spoke to Miami, guilt flushes through me as I remember how Ace and I both took out the District 2 tributes last year. However, I barely knew the boy at all, and I'm all cried out over Teal, so I push the feelings down. Brutus' demeanour suggests no pang of emotion when he mentions his tributes. I have a feeling he's a heartless Career through and through.

'I guess we did.' I reply. I'm not willing to show weakness in front of this huge man, even if it means loosening my morals slightly. Brutus takes this with a light chuckle.

'Didn't think you had it in you to produce another Victor, District 5' he says to Tobi, playfully elbowing him in the ribs, and laughing dramatically. 'You lucky man, you!'

Tobi smiles politely, but I can tell that Brutus' attempt at dominance is grating on him.

'It's funny how the more I _prioritise_ my tributes, the luckier I get.' replies Tobi sharply, eyeing the girl on Brutus' arm. 'Speaking of which, don't you have other _priorities_ to attend to?'

Brutus' mouth spreads into a fake grin. 'I suppose I do.'

He puts his arm around the woman, and her face lights up as his muscles dwarf her small figure. The pair turn to exit, and I watch Tobi eye them all the way down the hall. They eventually reach an elevator, and as the doors close, I see Brutus start to unbutton his shirt.

'Well, you were eager to end that conversation.' I say to Tobi, picking up a drink from the buffet table. 'Not that I can blame you.'

'I really despise that man.' Tobi says, his voice rich with venom, and his eyes still set on where the elevator doors shut. 'Most of the Careers are obnoxious, but he just _infuriates_ me. He would have been four years old when I won, and yet he walks around like he's the most experienced mentor Panem's ever seen. Ugh.' He pulls his eyes away from the elevator. 'He just gets under my skin.'

The rest of the night goes by quickly. I meet a few more Victors. Seeder, a woman from 11 in her thirties. A trio of men of varying ages, all from District 3, that travel in a pack. Vine, an older woman from 6 with greying hair, who must have been one of the first few Victors. They all seem nice enough, but none of them make a huge impression on me. I find it hard to get Miami's cunning smiles out of my head, and when I go to sleep in a Capitol hotel late that night, my dreams blur both our Games together, creating an arena where Ace and I are battling not only Bliss and Chant, but Miami as well.


	6. Chapter 6

Here it is then, I'll put a footnote in the bottom for this one - so, enjoy and, as always, review!

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-_October 28__th__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

'Connor!' Cassia cries as she trots towards me in her ridiculously high heels.

Cassia is my stylist and, if there is one thing I haven't missed about these Capitol events, it's her. However, this is more than just a Capitol event – this is the Victory Tour. It's essentially a chance for the Capitol to show off to the rest of Panem how much of a psycho they can turn someone into in a couple of weeks, through the Games.

'I have missed you! Tell me, how are you?'

She sits me down in the armchair in my carriage, and begins to inspect my body. Her eyes are still lilac, and she wears a matching tight dress that cuts off just above the knees, but her hair is now a dark blue, with blonde streaks.

'I'm good thank you. And how are you?'

Bad move. This leads straight into a monologue about every event she's been to in the last few months. Supposedly, since I won, she's been in high demand. The "conversation" lasts for about fifteen minutes before she calls in the rest of the prep team.

If I thought I didn't get much of a chance to speak before, with the extra three people in the room now, my chances are zero. They babble on about all these amazing events, most of which they went to together. As they talk they get to work on me. Carvilia does my nails (why these need to be done, I don't know), and Pollia and Fabius both tackle my hair. Cassia stands back to inspect their work, and instructs them between gossipy outbursts. Eventually the conversation turns to the Victory Tour and I start to listen.

'Well, first we'll be stopping at District 12.' Pollia says, jolting my head forward to access the back of my neck.

'Terrible place,' Cassia remarks, 'Just terrible. You can't help but feel sorry for them, though. It must be awful.'

'What's so bad about it?' Fabius asks, 'Is it not like the other Districts?'

'Goodness no!' Pollia cries, 'It's all rundown buildings and broken houses. There's dirt and grime everywhere. Honestly, it's a complete state.'

I've never been to District 12, so I don't really know how accurate this description is. But, Fabius' lack of knowledge on the subject intrigues me.

'How comes you haven't been to District 12, Fabius?' I ask. This is the first time I've spoken in the last twenty minutes.

'I moved up from District 6 last year,' he replies. I can't see his face as he's still behind me. 'So I wasn't on Tyga's Victory Tour, and 6 hasn't had a Victor since before I became a Stylist. Carvilia hasn't been on a Victory Tour either.'

I look to Carvilia, who has finished my nails and is now applying various creams to my arms and legs. She's significantly quieter than any of the others, but I know from experience that she's a lot more approachable than them too.

'Yes, I only qualified to be a Games Stylist two years ago. Last year was my first Games. I wasn't one of Tyga's prep team, so I didn't go on her Victory Tour.'

'Oh, gosh – Tyga's Victory Tour!' Cassia cries with a laugh, 'You should have heard what Tigris said to me when we got back!'

They then once again descend into a jabber of gossip. It's not long before they're finished. When Cassia ushers the others out and lets me see my reflection, I see that Pollia and Fabius have styled my hair in a similar way to when I went to the Victors Ball. The rest of me looks just generally flawless – with any and all imperfections removed through one cream or another. I'm not sure what took Carvilia so long on my nails – the only noticeable difference is that their shape is perfect and symmetrical. Cassia then hands me a dark red suit, which I put on.

Following this, she takes me out to the car where Tobi, Decimus and Tyga are waiting. They're on their feet so I assume our arrival is imminent. We arrange near the door in the formation we always do – me at the front, Tobi and Tyga behind, and Decimus taking up the rear. The carriage hisses to a stop, and we exit. There are only three cameramen on the train station, and they aren't snapping at us the moment we leave the train. This is because the shots we'll be taking will be exclusive and posed. They take photos of us separately. Then Tobi, Tyga and I. Then just Tobi and Tyga. And finally, all of us together.

We are then taken to the District 12 Justice Building. I'm relieved to enter the building, as snow is fluttering from the heavens, leaving the District cold. Pollia's descriptions of 12 were a little exaggerated, but I can see where these views rooted from. The buildings are old and worn. Several windows are boarded up, and a fine layer of coal dust covers most of the District, turning the small patches of snow into grey slush. This is the centre of town as well, so I wonder how bad the outskirts are.

We are introduced to a few of the key players in District 12, including Art, a weary eyed man of around fifty, who is 12's only Victor. He's not particularly social, and partakes in very little of the conversation. I suppose that's what over thirty years of mentoring tributes, without a single Victor, does to a person. After all the pleasantries are accomplished, we are taken on stage.

The crowd of people who stand in front of me are a solemn bunch. They clap, but there are very few cheers. I read out a speech prepared for me, I'm not sure who by, and when I finish the crowd clap as I accept the flowers that the Mayor congratulates me with. For the Districts whose tributes I was close with in the arena, it's customary for the Victor to add a personalised comment, but I never even spoke to either of the tributes from 12. In my head I run through the Districts that I'll need to add something to my speech for. There's 8 – that's the obvious one, with Melissa being my ally, as well as Cam briefly. I'd probably have to say something for District 1, as well, with both of their tributes getting so far. I'm not looking forward to that. Suddenly, my mind swarms with all the Districts that I could have a reason to say something for.

Clearing my head, I first rule out the Districts that I definitely don't need to say anything for. Districts 6 and 10 both died in the bloodbath. I wouldn't be expected to say anything for Districts 4, 9 or 11 either. I suppose I wouldn't have to say anything to 3, but I might, because I'd always thought Frizz was very smart, but then I realise that I never even knew her name, so maybe that's a bad idea. The thought of speaking to District 2 anymore than I need to scares me, so I rule that out, and this has left me with Districts 1, 7 (for Terra) and 8. That's not so bad, I guess.

I pile into the train with my mentors and Decimus. It wasn't pleasant looking upon the judgemental faces in the crowd. I don't think I'll get used to it. It makes me dread visiting the Districts that actually have a reason to hate me. The Districts whose tributes lost their lives at my hands.

I sleep with horrific nightmares, as is the norm, and at breakfast I pretend that I didn't hear Tyga's wails in the night. When she told me it gets better, she wasn't talking from experience. The days fly by, and we spend most of them travelling. District 11 was massive, but the increase of people didn't stop the sombre mood that matched that of 12. Districts 10 and 9 are better – some people are happier to see me. I guess that their tributes died early enough for them not to get too invested in their chances of winning.

However, I dread the next stop. I'll have to add a personal comment. I don't have a choice in that. But what am I supposed to say about the girl who helped me survive more than a week in hell, but then tried to murder me in the end. And what will the residents think? My killing of her was an accident, but will they see that or will they just see the black and white facts that she was my ally and I killed her?

I close me eyes and try to get some sleep, as we travel towards District 8.

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So, that chapter was really more of an introduction to the Victory Tour, so apologies for it not being particularly action-packed. But, anyway, I'm sure you know how this works by now - if I get 3 reviews, I'll upload the next chapter early :) So review! I really appreciate them, and they inspire me to write more.


	7. Chapter 7

So, you reviewed, so here's your chapter! I'll put in a footnote :) Enjoy!

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-_November 1__st__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

I'm standing on the stage, frozen on the spot.

I look out onto the crowds of District 8 citizens but none of them catch my attention. My gaze is focused purely on the two boxed off areas in front of me. They are slightly raised platforms, which house a few seats and are guarded by a Peacekeeper on each side.

On the right hand platform sits a man and woman, both in their forties, with dark skin. To the side of them is a younger boy – maybe thirteen years old, with the same dark features. This must be Cam's family, because I immediately recognise the residents of the other box. There is a middle aged man, and he is surrounded by three girls. The youngest is twelve and there is no doubt that she's Melissa's sister. The next girl is about fifteen, and the other is nineteen – I remember Melissa talking about her. She had trained her whole life in case she needed to volunteer for her sisters, but when she needed to, she was a year too old.

I can't look any of them in the eye, but yet my eyes keep reverting back to their box like some forbidden treasure that keeps tempting me. Suppressing my nerves, I say my speech. It's prewritten, but after I have to give a personal comment. I'd been working out what to say all day, but nothing had seemed right, and now I regret being so choosy. The speech comes to a close too quickly, and I have to speak from the heart now.

'Well-' I begin, biding time. 'Uh-'

What do I say? What can I possibly say?

Okay, I need to say something.

Nothing.

My throat has closed up. Words are trying to swim to the surface, but are being repeatedly pushed down by the utter terror that is brewing inside of me. I feel an ice cold bead of sweat travel from my forehead to my cheek, carving a chilling valley as it does so.

Right, it doesn't have to be perfect, just say something.

_Anything_.

Behind the plinth, I feel a hand lock into mine. I turn and see Tyga smiling at me. A warm smile. She nods, as if to say _you can do this_. I turn back to the audience and swallow dryly.

'The time in the arena wasn't easy.' I begin, sweating and breathing in and out slowly, 'But I can guarantee that I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Melissa. Not just Melissa actually, Cam too. The arena is one of the loneliest experiences a person can go through, and to have just someone there to talk to, to assure you that you're not going crazy – well, that can keep you alive on its own.'

I squeeze onto Tyga's hand and, with a deep breath, I look right at Melissa's family.

'Without Melissa, I would have died in that arena. And not just literally – mentally too. She reminded me what I was living for, and that is something I will never forget. So, to Melissa,' I look to the sky. 'Thank you, and I'm sorry.'

I stand back from the plinth that holds the microphone. The applause is a respectful one. I'm not sure if what I said was perfect, but it felt right. I turn back to Melissa's family, and all four of them share similar expressions – cold, lost faces, but their eyes are soft with acceptance, and it breaks my heart to look at. With the exception of Melissa's eldest sibling, they each have tears rolling out of the dark shadows of their eyes. I feel a choke in my throat. I've done enough. I thought I was done with crying but I have to purse my lips to keep the emotion in.

The Mayor presents me with an inappropriately bright bouquet of flowers, and we leave the stage. It is only after we have left the stage that I notice that I'm still tightly clutching onto Tyga's hand. I quickly let it go, embarrassed that she's only a few years older than me and yet I'm holding on to her like she can protect me from all the evil of the world.

We leave to get to the train, but before I can get on, I feel someone grab my shoulder. I turn to see a woman in her mid-twenties. She seems familiar, but I can't quite place her. She has chocolate skin, and dark brown hair. She's too well-dressed to be a regular resident of the District, and I suddenly recognise her.

'Glynn?' I ask, recognising Melissa's mentor.

'I just want you to know that-' she swallows hard, 'that it wasn't her fault.'

I look at Glynn, somewhat confused.

'Melissa. It wasn't her fault. She didn't want to, but she just wanted to be home. I don't know how to put it.' She sighs, looking deep into my eyes. 'Just, don't remember her as the girl who tried to poison you. Please.'

'I won't' I reply.

Glynn smiles a sad smile, and nods. 'Thank you.'

I clamber back onto the train after Tyga and, within a few minutes, we are leaving the station on our way to District 7. We all meet for dinner soon after leaving, and Decimus sits next to me, placing his hand, with its icy blue nails, on my knee.

'You did very well' he says reassuringly.

Decimus is a creation of the Capitol through and through, there's no doubt about that, but since I've won, he's become a much more likeable character. For one thing, he's like a personal assistant to all of us, and is very competent when it comes to making sure we are all satisfied with everything. Yet, he's also shown a more sensitive side – caring and nurturing. Something I wouldn't typically associate with a Capitol citizen. Though, he is just that – a citizen of the Capitol, the machine that forces 23 tributes to their death each year, so I find it hard to get too attached to him.

The meal is delicious, and Cassia and the prep team join us, creating a lively conversational atmosphere. I ask about District 7, and they tell me it's one of the biggest Districts but also, and they can't seem to emphasise this enough, the coldest of the Districts. Apparently Decimus has chills just thinking about it. It's fairly late, and I'm told we won't arrive until morning, so I excuse myself from dinner and head to bed.

When I wake, the train is gliding through a snow-covered region, full of pine forests. I can see tiny figures on the landscape hacking at some of the trees with axes or machinery. The axes send flashes of Ace's attack on me running through my head, and I quickly turn away. I throw on some clothes and have a shower, before leaving to the breakfast carriage. We don't have breakfast particularly formally – it's just a buffet of cereals, croissants and fruit salads, and we help ourselves whenever we want. There is a table to sit at, but most mornings I sit on the plush seating, gazing out the window, which is what I see Tyga doing now. When she hears me arrive, she nods her head at me, before looking back out the window, her eyes becoming lost in the snow.

'Beautiful, isn't it?' she says in awe.

'Yeah' I say, sitting opposite her. 'Shame about the axes.'

'Oh.' Her voice quietens, but she continues to gaze out the window. 'This was my favourite part of the Victory Tour. There's not much to cheer you up in a situation like this, but I remember staring out onto the mountains, and feeling like everything was fine again.'

'It is beautiful' I reply. The area we're passing has no signs of labour, so I'm fine to look out on the natural landscape.

'Tobi likes District 4' she adds, her tone soft, 'It's the complete opposite of this – lots of beaches and sparkling lakes. But, the arena kinda ruined lakes for me.'

Tyga's arena had regular floods that wiped out a fair portion of the tributes that year. She looks to me, her face tightening with memories.

'Everyone has something the arena ruined for them. Miami from District 1's not good with fire. Woof can't handle tunnels. But they're fine. It's the smaller things you've got to look out for. I can't deal with large amounts of water – fine. It's obvious, and I'm learning to deal with it. But, if it's something small – something that doesn't come to light often – that's when it's tricky. Like, I know of a Victor who won ten years ago, and has never had a problem since, but a few months ago he saw a building get demolished, and just like that – he was gone. He just lost it.' Her eyes return to the window. 'It's a sick game the Capitol play, and for most, it's never over.'

A cold shiver runs through me. I haven't found anything that has reminded me of the arena so much it terrifies me. What will it be? How will I react? But most importantly, when will I find out?

With a grimace, I brush this off, and my eyes find the snow again. Turning back to the window, I let the white landscape take me away from the life I despise.

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So, you like? :) Usually I only do this once a week, but seen as you all reviewed so quickly, I've decided to do another '3 reviews = new chapter early' thing this time. So, get reviewing!

Also, I'd just like to point out, if you see any flaws in plot or lack of continuity in either the fanfic, or in reference to the actual Hunger Games books, please don't hesitate to let me know as I really appreciate this :)


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, so I think I'm going to do footnotes from now on :) - enjoy!

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-_November 11__th__, Year of the 44__th __Hunger Games-_

I am welcomed back to District 5 with cheers from its residents. Everyone is in a happy mood, as the District has been provided with a big banquet that we all get to enjoy. In general, District 5 isn't poor, but one thing we lack is a thriving social community, so this is a great chance to socialise with the neighbours. We only are all together like this three times a year – at the Reaping, on New Years and here – at the Victory Tour, though usually it's just to greet the Victor of one of the Career Districts.

There was initially a table set out especially for me, my mentors and the dignitaries of the District, but Tobi and I helped the other villagers pull the tables round to create four long tables that stretch from one side of the square to the other. I am now sitting next to Tobi and Pura, and opposite a twelve or thirteen year old girl who blushes every time our eyes meet, and quickly averts her gaze. I say hello to her when our hands bash whilst both reaching for the same plate. She stumbles over her words, and seems in awe of my presence. It's quite flattering, but I am prone to getting awkward in these kind of conversations, so I just talk to Tobi instead. I'm relieved when I notice Pura and the girl are having a giggling conversation.

The day goes by quickly – the celebrations last several hours. The only uncomfortable part is when I have to give my speech, and Ace's parents are in clear view. They never smile, but they seem to accept what I say, and when I walk past them, they make no attempt to challenge me, so I guess that's the best I could have hoped for. When I get home, I sink into our sofa. We finished with a loud sing-a-long, as lead by the Mayor and a slightly tipsy Mr. Tyne, and this has left me in high spirits.

Pura returns about fifteen minutes later, and the second she's inside she's chirping about her new friend, Keira Lacehart, who I eventually realise was the girl sitting opposite me. I smile as I listen to her talk about her new friend, because I haven't seen her in about two weeks and the Victory Tour had very few genuine smiles. When Tristan returns nearly an hour later, Pura is curled up on the sofa, reading, and I'm flicking the TV to see if there's any coverage of the Victory Tour. His presence is known long before he arrives through the door, however. We can hear his group of friends drunkenly singing, before he stumbles through the door, carrying Mason, who is slumped over, staring at the room in awe. His eyes spot me.

'Hey Connor!' he says, stretching out odd syllables. His eyes turn to Pura. 'And...the other one' he adds.

Tristan laughs at his drunken friend. 'Come on, mate, let's get you sat down.'

He hurls Mason onto the couch, who protests initially, but within a few minutes, is snoring loudly in a deep slumber. Pura scowls at him and then scampers up to her room.

'Is it alright if he stays here tonight?' Tristan says with a laugh.

'Yeah, sure.' I reply.

'You should have seen him', Tristan grins, 'Tried to climb over one of the tables, and ended up with his face in a bowl of mashed potato. And he hit on Tyga! Course, he got what was coming to him. She gave him a backhander right across his face!'

He descends into a fit of giggles, and soon I'm joining him. It's so unusual to see Tristan this happy, and I miss it. His features twist when he truly smiles, lighting up his eyes and his smile. It's only once the laughter fades away that I realise a problem with Mason staying.

'The screaming' I mumble, not really intending to mention my nightmares, but it just slips out.

Tristan's face is immediately one of concern and regret. 'Oh, I forgot about that. Well, I can get him to leave.'

'No...it's fine.' I reply. 'I'll see if I can stay at Tyga's for the night.'

'Are you sure?' Tristan replies. In a few seconds he's gone from giggling wreck to concerned brother. 'I can get him to go.'

'Yeah, good luck with that!' I say with a laugh, looking at Mason's figure, drenched over the couch, out cold. 'No, I'm sure she won't mind. Her house is the same as ours, so she should have at least one bedroom free.'

Tristan reluctantly accepts my proposal, and I go round to Tyga's to ask if I can stay. When I get to the door, Tyga isn't the one to answer. Instead, a woman about a year or two older than her greets me. She shares some of her features – the cheek bones and eyes are exactly the same, and this woman has the same flowing fiery hair, but hers isn't as vibrant, with duller oranges, and it's shorter and wilder. There's instant recognition on her face when she sees me.

'Uhh...hello?' I say, slightly confused.

'Who is it?' I hear a recognisable voice call. Tyga's.

'Connor Jedd!' she calls back.

I still find it odd when people I've never met know my name. The fame that comes with being a Victor is not something that's normalised yet. I hear rapid footsteps scamper down the stairs, and Tyga appears behind who I assume is her sister.

'Connor, hey! This is Tabs, my sister.' She says, and the other woman smiles. 'Come in.'

When I discuss my predicament with Tyga, she is very accepting with it. I feel that she may have had some kind of similar situation before. Tabs doesn't stay for long. She lives on the other side of the District, but she came to the celebrations, so she came back to Tyga's. It's not long before the sun goes down, and we go to bed early, tired from the day's events.

The night is full of nightmares, and I wake up sweating cold beads of sweat, but I don't scream. The room is oddly familiar, but not everything is quite...right.

I quickly remember that I'm at Tyga's house, and the confusion is that I'm in the equivalent of my room in her house, so the layout's the same but the decor is different. I get showered and dressed, already very familiar with the location of the bathroom. I head down to the kitchen.

It's about an hour before Tyga surfaces, but when she does, she bares no trace of tiredness, and her face is as fresh as it always is. She smiles a good morning, and I return it.

'Did you sleep well?' she asks.

'Yeah,' I reply. 'Bit odd waking up in a room that's mine...but not mine. And you?'

'Yeah...' she replies, somewhat dreamily. 'No nightmares. I guess it's nice to have someone in the house.'

She offers breakfast, and I say that I don't want to outstay my welcome, but she insists. Breakfast is, in fairness, delicious, and I pretty much inhale it – that's how long it lasts. When I do leave, at around 11, I am in a happy mood. It's days like this that help me forget how, in a few months, the Reaping will happen, and my life will once again rupture with all the worst emotions a person can feel.

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So, yeah - I skipped the rest of the Victory Tour, as I felt that there wouldn't be much in terms of interesting storyline, so I hope you don't mind that. But, next chapter (to be uploaded Monday), it gets a bit exciting as we skip straight to the Reaping, so hopefully you'll enjoy that. Anyway, as always, please review, whether it's positive or constructive criticism, I really appreciate it. Anything you'd like to see happen? Any characters you like/dislike/need developing? What do you think will happen next? Well, let me know any and all comments/tips/questions/suggesions in the reviews - I really appreciate you all sticking with this story!


	9. Chapter 9

Hiya, sorry I couldn't update yesterday - I was having problems with the site. Anyway, enjoy!

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-_March 26__th__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

This is the day. The day I've been dreading for nearly a year. Last year, it started the worst journey of my life, and today, for 23 others, it will start a journey that they will not finish.

I wait in the wings, as the terrified children pour into the town square – one of them is Pura , her first Reaping, and I am terrified for her. I couldn't wish her luck or assure her that she wouldn't be picked before she entered the square, as I was required earlier than everyone else. Decimus and the mayor occupy two of the five seats on the stage. District 5 is one of the smallest Districts, so the crowd is fairly small, but that doesn't mean that hundreds of children aren't at risk.

In a few minutes, the Reaping gets underway. The mayor gets up, and like every year, he reads the history of Panem. The same as last year. The urge to vomit and fear in the pit of my stomach is the same as last year. Everything is the same as last year, except this time I'm on the other side of the Reaping bowls. And this year, there's no way to walk away from this unscathed.

We are then called onto stage. Tobi, Tyga and I. The three Victors. Of course, this year Tobi won't be mentoring. Victors are forced to mentor the year after they win, but the year after that, they can then let another Victor become mentor, although this rarely happens. An applause sees us onto the stage, but it is not a cheerful applause, it is a terrified and hesitant applause. District 5 rarely has volunteers – if your name is drawn, then you'll be going to the Games. That's how it works in this District.

As the mayor reclaims his seat, Decimus stands up to the microphone. I've never noticed before, but having seen Decimus in his natural environment, I see now that he tones down his outfit when he visits the District. Today, he wears a dark blue suit, and his hair is now jet black, with different shades of blue streaks.

'Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be _ever_ in your favour!' he says with a grin. I can't tell if he is putting on a show, or if he is just genuinely very bad at judging the mood of an event. 'Now, you know how this works by now – Ladies, first!'

He shuffles over to the first bowl, and plunges his hand into the bowl. It spirals around the pieces of paper, before picking out a name. He returns to the microphone, and unfolds the piece of paper. I feel like I could throw up. _Not Pura, not Pura_.

'Savannah Cortez!'

My reaction is not what I expected it be. I thought my body would flood with relief, but I still feel just as ill. How can I be relieved when I have to try and save this girl's life, and will most likely fail? I don't recognise the girl. She steps onto the stage, wearing a light grey dress, having come from the sixteen year old section. Her hair matches her name – savannah coloured, tied up into a ponytail, and just a slightly lighter colour than her skin. She looks scared, but I can see she's holding her emotions in. I might not have even noticed the fear, if I wasn't so familiar with trying to hide it. I suddenly realise that this girl is the same age as me. I'm going to be mentoring a girl who is the same age as me.

'Are there any volunteers for Miss Savannah Cortez?' Decimus calls out to the crowd.

Silence. The worst kind of silence. The kind of silence that means a child will be going to the Hunger Games.

'Okay, then. Now, for the boys!'

He steps over to the other bowl. For half a second, I fear that my name will be reaped – a primal fear that has been built into me since my first Reaping. Then, I remember that this can't happen. A Victor can't be reaped again. That's one thing we can rely on – that once we've experienced the Games once, we won't have to do it again. Decimus picks out a piece of paper, and returns to the microphone.

'Daley Lacehart!'

At first, no one moves. Then, slowly, I see a gap in the fourteen year old section part, and a boy with messy chocolate hair nervously steps away from the crowd. The realisation of what this means is dawning on him, and I see tears welling in his eyes as he tries to suppress them. I don't recognise the boy, but the name, Lacehart, rings a bell. It's only when I spot Pura in the crowd that I realise who he is. Pura is clutching onto a weeping girl who I recognise as her friend, Keira Lacehart. Daley must be her brother.

Decimus asks for volunteers and, of course, no one does. The pair shake hands and are ushered inside the Justice Building. The crowd quickly disperses back to their homes, and I am taken to the train. I said goodbye to Tristan and Pura this morning, but now I'm wishing that I could just hold Pura and tell her to be brave for Keira. They'll need to stay together – Pura is one of the few people who'll know what she's going through.

I say goodbye to Tobi. This is the first time I've had to take a step on my own, and boy, is it a big step. Tyga, Decimus and I get on the train. The second the doors shut, I feel like fainting.

'That was horrible.' I say, sitting down on one of the plush chairs.

'Yes, it was.' Tyga sits beside me. 'But, it's not about us anymore. There are two children there who are going to try their hardest to stay alive, and it's our job to help them.' She squeezes my shoulder. 'And they're scared. And if they think we're scared, then what's the point in us helping them?'

'So, no crying in our rooms about the fact that at least one will die?' I ask.

Her eyes widen as she realises this is a direct reference to her mentoring of me. She didn't know that I'd heard her crying. I smile, and she swallows.

'Okay... I won't if you won't.'

'Deal.'

I just hope I can keep this promise. We're about half an hour into our journey when we first meet the tributes. Decimus leads the way, followed by Savannah, who is pale, but appears to have kept the tears in. Daley comes afterwards, and he's clearly been crying.

'And I'm sure you know who these people are – Tyga Redlake and Connor Jedd. They will be your mentors. Now, remember that these people have won these Games before – you probably remember their Games – so they know what they're talking about.'

The trio all sit down and Tyga speaks first, to my relief.

'Now, I'm not going to patronise you – that's the last thing you need. It's not going to be easy, but I assure you that we have no doubt that District 5 can get another Victor this year. But, this isn't down to us – it's down to you. You need to listen and you need to make sure you can get in all the information you can.'

'Sponsors' I say, my voice dry. 'One of the most important things in the Games is getting sponsors. Sure, you can survive without them, but if you _can_ get them, they can be the difference between life and death.'

Daley's nodding. Too quickly. He's nervous. But, Savannah doesn't seem to be paying too much attention. I can't blame her – it's hard to assemble your thoughts at a time like this. Tyga covers most of the rest of the topics, but she lets me add a comment every now and then in an attempt to show the tributes that I'm not as scared as them. I hope it works.

Soon, we're watching the Reapings. District 1 is up first. In my poor mood, I try to take humour at the tributes' names – Cerulean and Glaze – but it just brings too many memories of last year, and plus, they are both volunteers, so they're probably highly skilled. District 2 are both eighteen and look fierce. District 4 are less obvious with their strength, but they seem just as powerful. The Careers are going to be strong this year. District 5 is just as awful to watch the second time round. A few more stick in my mind – District 7 make a scene when the girl gets reaped and the boy volunteers, despite the girl screaming at him not to, the eighteen year old boy from 11 towers over the other people on stage, and the pair from 12 are both visibly underfed.

The screen flickers off, and we talk about the tributes for a bit. We soon retire to our bedrooms – Daley and Savannah being eager. I eventually return to my room, and collapse onto my bed. I sink my head into my hands and wonder how the hell I'm going to get through this. In a few weeks, at least one of them will be dead.

I fall asleep and pray that no one will hear me when I wake up screaming.

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So, there we go - let's see how Connor copes with being a mentor! How will Daley and Savanna do - let me know what you think! Anyways, as always, review - and if I can get 3 reviews by this time tomorrow, I'll post the next chapter :D

Oh, and by the way, if you're reading this months after I posted it, I still love to hear your reviews - they always help me improve, if not with this fanfic, then maybe with another written after this :)


	10. Chapter 10

-_March 29__th__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

We sit on the couch waiting for the results of the Training Scores. The last few days have not been good. Cassia and Surius have seemingly run out of ideas for the chariot parade, and this year, Savannah and Daley didn't stand out in their shiny, metallic outfits. The training sessions don't seem to have gone too well either. Savannah said she worked alright with a knife and could handle an axe, and Daley seems to be alright at the survival skills – which I emphasised were important. I hope that wasn't bad advice, and I hope he hasn't ignored the weapons skills. Neither talk that much – Daley because he's shy, and I don't think Savannah really feels she has anything to gain from a Victor the same age as her.

The atmosphere is uncomfortable. Decimus has unrealistically high expectations I think, but I am relieved he hasn't voiced them. Caesar appears on the screen, and memories of last year shoot through me. I think I am just as nervous. Glaze, the boy from District 1 appears onscreen. He receives an 8, followed by his District partner, Cerulean receives a 9. Both of District 2 score 8s. District 3, a pair of weedy pale kids score 4s.

'Oooh...that's not good...' comments Cassia.

I feel Daley tense up beside me. The boy from 4 gets a 10 and the girl gets an 8, and then it's us. Daley's face appears first. A 5 lights up next to it, and I feel a sudden pang of familiarity. This time, we know how to deal with it.

'Not a problem.' Decimus says. 'No one looks at the middle scores – they only care about the obvious threats.'

I wonder if Tyga told him to react like this, because the words seem very out of place coming from Decimus' black lips. Savannah's name is up next, and she receives a 7. Smiles surround the room – it's a fairly strong score, but it doesn't put her in danger of being targeted. This is probably the best we could have hoped for. Districts 6, 7 and 8 get average scores between 3 and 7. By the time the scrawny girl from 12 appears with a score of 6, I can tell Daley and Savannah don't really want to be here anymore. The final screen shows pictures of all the tributes with their scores next to their faces, with the tributes whom scored 8 or higher lit up. Nine faces light up – the six Careers and the boys from 9, 10 and 11, with the boy from 9 scoring a 9 and the other two scoring 8. This will be a tough year.

When the screen flickers off, we let Savannah and Daley scurry to their rooms. Tyga suggests we go somewhere private, so the five of us head to her bedroom. She softly shuts the door behind her.

'Right, so what do we think?' she asks, addressing all of us as one.

'They're not bad scores.' Surius starts, 'Not good either, but we can work with them.'

Cassia shakes her head. 'No, the _seven_ we can work with. But a five?'

'Need I remind you that Connor got a five last year, and he's sitting here today, as a Victor?' Tyga says, stood up, whilst the rest of us are seated on the plush couches around her room.

'Yes, but sponsors aren't going to want to put their money on something so risky.' Decimus adds.

There is a mutter of agreement around the room, before Cassia says what we're all thinking.

'But there can only be one winner.'

'I've been looking at the odds' Decimus says. 'Neither are particularly high, but Savannah's the higher of the pair.'

'Who's at the top?' I ask.

Decimus purses his lips at me, before answering.

'The usuals – Careers mostly. Cerulean and Glaze from 1, Aura and Rune from 4.' He regains his focus, back to the topic at hand. 'So, the question here is...who do we pick?'

'Well, I think the choice is obvious.' Cassia says with a sigh. 'The girl speaks more, she's got a fair training score, and with the right angle I reckon we could get her noticed at the interviews.'

'All in favour of choosing Savannah?' Tyga asks.

Decimus and Cassia raise their hands, followed by Surius. With a sigh, Tyga raises hers. All eyes fall on me, and I swallow hard, raising my hand.

'That's settled then.' Tyga says, with a solemn expression. 'We'll try to make Savannah our Victor.'

The others leave the room until it's just Tyga and I left. She sits down on the bed next to me, breathing heavily.

'Tobi always used to do that' she says, eyes on the floor.

I put my arm around her, and squeeze her shoulder. She smiles a sad smile, and sighs. We sit there for a while, until I decide to go and get some sleep.

'Sleep tight' I say as I leave.

I walk through the empty hall to my room, thoughts swimming through my mind. I push open the door, and notice a figure sitting on my bed. I suddenly realise that this isn't my room – it's the room I stayed in last year – the male tribute's quarters. I turn to leave, apologising, but then my gaze on Daley lingers. He's curled up in a ball, his legs held tight into his chest. His brown hair covers his face, but I can hear his sniffles and it's obvious he's crying. I walk over to him and sit down by his side. His damp face looks up and his red eyes stare into mine.

'Hey', I say, softening my voice, as I put my hand on his knee. He attempts at a smile, and I think he says hey quietly, but I'm not sure. 'You alright?'

I know the answer to this. It's a stupid question, but I don't know what else to say.

'I...I got a 5' he says between sniffles.

'And what's wrong with that?' I say with a smile.

'People who get fives don't win.'

'Now, that's just not true. And if anyone has a right to say that, it's me. I got a 5, in case you've forgotten.'

'I know...I know. But you were different.'

'How?'

'You...you were stronger.'

I almost laugh at that. The idea that anyone could consider me strong in anyway is ridiculous. Daley continues.

'I mean, look at me! I'm sat here, crying, and in two days I'm gonna be in the arena. How the hell am I gonna cope with that if I can't even get a decent training score! I mean, how many Victors have you ever seen cry?!' He almost shouts this, with the emotion flying everywhere, but the tears stop it from getting too loud.

'Well. Me, for one.' I reply softly.

'You? You cried?' he says, shocked.

'Yep. Most days. But, I got over it once I got into the arena and, hey, I'm still here today. So, I guess something went right.'

The tears are drying up, and he smiles through the damp valleys the teardrops have carved into his face. 'And you'll help me, right?'

And in that one question, it's all so obvious. Everything about this boy is so clear. Because now I finally see Daley. I really see him, and I understand everything he is. Because Daley is me.

'Yes' I reply.

And now I know that I cannot let this boy die.

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Hey guys :) Did you like that? Let me know! So, the next chapter should be up on Monday. I always love to hear your reviews - any characters you like/dislike/need to be described more? Let me know! Anything you think is going to happen? Let me know! Any improvements that I could work on? Let me know!

Oh, and also if anyone has actually made use of the summary of the 44th Annual Hunger Games, please let me know - it would be great to hear that it was worth making :) So, yeah, to some up - review! Reviews aid my writing and inspire me to write more and faster.


	11. Chapter 11

-_March 30__th__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

I sit in the private mentor's room of our floor. Tyga sits opposite me, in a light green dress. I've noticed that, since she entered the Capitol , she's been making a massive effort to always look attractive, and she's really succeeding. I guess she understands better than I that there are always Capitol cameras on you. Yesterday we had a personal interview with Caesar Flickerman, as we were in the Capitol, and I'm still a hot topic here. He speculated about me and Tyga being romantically linked, from footage of us holding hands at District 8. Whilst we denied it, I was reluctant to admit that I was holding her out of raw fear, but thankfully for me, he realised he wasn't going to get any more information out of us and moved on.

Decimus is currently next door, working with the tributes for their interviews with Caesar. I remember that last year, my interview was my saving grace, and I hope it can be the same for Daley. Knowing the magic that my prep team (now also _his_ prep team) have in their abilities, I'm sure they'd manage to make him attractive, but he's not muscular or tall, so Decimus will have to think up a new angle. However, Savannah's currently the only person with Decimus, as Daley went to the bathroom to vomit. This does not bode well for the arena.

'Well, it took a while, but I think we've got an angle' Decimus declares, strutting into the room.

'And what's that?' I ask.

'Well, I've spoken to Cassia and with a bit of her magic, we reckon we can pull off sexy' He replies with pride.

'No.' Tyga says bluntly.

Decimus' grin drops off his face, and he sighs deeply. 'Please, Tyga, I know you have your reservations but we have very little to work with here!' He is evidently familiar with the scenario.

'I don't care.' Tyga replies, 'You find her another angle.'

She then picks herself off the chair and leaves the room, without a second look towards Decimus, who sighs again and then returns to work on a new angle for Savannah, muttering _I don't know why I always get the ones with issues_ and leaving me rather confused.

When I wake up and remember what today is, I feel bile work its way up my throat. I push it back down as I get up – today I need to do my job. And my job is to get either Daley or Savannah out of the arena alive.

I haven't had a chance to tell anyone that I won't let Daley be ignored by us in the arena – I'm waiting until the Games start – that's when it really counts. The interviews went fairly well. Daley looked handsome – unfortunately not a handsome that anyone would find threatening; more a boyish charm. But, he seemed very likeable and I think Decimus has managed to warm up some interest around him – he's promoting both of our tributes in case Savannah dies early on, leaving just Daley. Savannah was a good actress – she did everything she had to in the interview. She didn't stand out, but she kept the audience interested, and I reckon she may get a few sponsors.

I leave my room, having dressed myself in casual clothing – Tyga suggested it. She said that it's best to wear something comfortable, as I'll probably be wearing it all day. Breakfast is sombre. No one really talks, much like last year. Daley is as pale as I've ever seen him, and even Savannah is shaking slightly. It's not long before the cars arrive.

I embrace both Savannah and Daley in hugs before they leave. Daley lingers slightly – I can feel the fear radiating from his body and I tell him that I'll be with him every step of the way. I've grown attached to this boy – probably a bad move. Ever since I saw him crying, I've been seeing myself in everything he does. They embrace Tyga, and then they have to leave, and I try not to focus on the fact that I'll probably never speak to either again.

A Capitol attendee takes Tyga and I to the basement of the Training Building.

'Miss Redlake, you will be aware of this, but for Mr. Jedd's benefit, I'll explain how the mentoring works.' The Capitol woman says, her voice soft and trained. 'There are four different rooms. Each one is set out the same, containing multiple screens representing the coverage of the Games. You, of course, receive data from all major cameras in the area. These public rooms each have several different facilities available. You can utilise the control boards, which will allow you to personally track any tributes specifically, and you'll be able to register their health levels, as well as using this as a hub for sending sponsor gifts. This coverage will additionally be available to access on your floor, however the facilities there will be limited in comparison to the ones available in the public rooms. Only mentors are allowed in these rooms. If you wish to consult with your District escort or anyone else, you will have to do so in one of the private communications rooms.'

I think I understand all this, and I'm sure Tyga will help me if I get confused. The woman wishes us good luck and then leads us into the corridor. As the woman said, there are four labelled rooms. Tyga walks straight to room 3, so I follow. I guess this was where she mentored from last year. The Capitol woman hadn't exaggerated the amount of technology in the room. The far wall is covered with screens. There is one large central screen, which currently shows the Cornucopia. No tributes have appeared yet in the semi-circle around it. At first glance, I think the room has a selection of tables, but at closer inspection I realise these must be the control boards, as the surface of these 'tables' is actually a large touchscreen. Behind each, there is a stool. Along the side of the room, there are a selection of couches, and an unmanned bar, with a large refrigerator underneath, containing copious quantities of food. It's obvious that this room is equipped for the whole day.

There is a selection of other figures in the room. I recognise Seeder, the woman from District 11. Her black hair is flowing onto her back, and she wears a loose top with trousers. Miami is sat with who I recognise as her District partner, a young man with tanned skin and golden hair. His name is Green, and I know this because he won the year before me. Nonetheless, he won when he was 18 so he's still four years older than me. The District 3 pair are nervously chatting over one of the control boards. The woman is around fifty, with wiry black hair that is turning silver, and the man is in his early twenties, and I recognise him too – another recent Victor, but I can't remember his name. He has short curly black hair, and is fairly tall and muscular. Despite his physique though, he seems quite harmless – although obviously no one in this room can be considered harmless.

Miami walks over to us, wearing a lose dress, but still looking as attractive as ever, gold eye shadow swirling from her eyelashes and velvety dark hair bouncing down her back. Tyga begins to introduce her, but is quickly cut off.

'This is Mi-'

'He knows who I am, _Tyga_. Connor and I are quite well acquainted.'

Tyga doesn't question this. She merely scowls at the District 1 woman as she continues.

'Good luck with your tributes.' She delivers every word she says with a devilish smirk that informs me she's judging my every move. 'You've won two of the three last years – you're a pure example of how nothing is set in stone when these Games begin.'

'I guess we are-' replies Tyga '-and I guess your District is a good example of how arrogance doesn't always win you the title.'

'But it usually does' she replies, with a cruel smile. 'And if-'

'They're entering the arena!' Seeder shouts, and Miami immediately returns to her control board, the venomous man-eater gone in seconds, replaced with a focused mentor.

I look up to the Cornucopia, where the first tributes are appearing in a ring around the metal horn. I now fully take note of the arena, and it's shocking. The whole arena is one massive factory. There are several floors, and I wouldn't be surprised if the arena is over half a mile wide. There are a few smaller factories, with concrete ground in between. Greys and browns coat the arena, and loose wires and oil drums litter each of the many storage rooms of the factory. There are several massive rooms full of mazes of machinery and the Cornucopia is in probably the only room in the factory that is empty. It is a massive hall, with a metal floor, and there are several exits, but each is about thirty or forty metres away from the horn.

About half of the tributes are in the arena now. I watch as Savannah appears from below the arena into her platform. She's nervous, but I can see her doing breathing exercises. In a few moments, Daley appears a few tributes to the left of her. He is visibly terrified as he reviews the arena, pale and shaking. When all 24 are in the arena, I hear a voice from the speakers.

'Ladies and gentlemen! Tributes! Let the 45th Annual Hunger Games Begin!'

The clock appears on the Cornucopia, counting down from sixty. I breathe deeply and Tyga places her hand on my shoulder.

'There's no point turning on the control boards just yet. The Cornucopia battle happens so rapidly and with so much movement, that it's pretty much impossible to get a camera on one specific tribute.'

I nod, shaking. She's telling me a fact. Something to focus on. I need to push the emotions down and focus on making rational and practical decisions. But the rational and practical decision is to let Daley die, and I know I can't do that.

All nine of us stand in silence, eyes glued to the screen. When the counter hits 10, I feel the room tense up. I hear heavy breaths all around me. Even Miami looks nervous.

3...

'Here we go...' someone whispers.

2...

I wipe the sweat off my forehead.

1...

The gong sounds and the Games begin.

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So, it's all kicking off! :D Let me know what you think is going to happen next! The next chapter should be posted on Monday - I don't think I'll be able to post another this week. But obviously, I always appreciate reviews so REVIEW! :D Thanks for all your continuing support.


	12. Chapter 12

-_March 31__st__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

The screens suddenly explode with motion – every camera on the bloodbath. The Careers are among the first to reach the horn, and the second they have their weapons, they're hunting the others. Savannah has gone into the Cornucopia and my eyes are locked on her as she grapples for weapons. I can't find Daley in the blur of metal and flesh and blood, but then suddenly I see him. He's standing there, still on his podium, shaking, eyes staring at the horror in front of him.

'What's he doing? Why isn't he moving?' I ask Tyga, but I don't give her time to respond. 'Why is he still there? What's he doing? Move. Move, Daley, move!'

The words are just flowing out – I can't control them. I hear wails and cries all around me as Victors lose their tributes. The District 3 Victor screams, slamming his fist on the control board, which promptly collapses, as Rune, the District 4 boy, plunges a trident into his female tribute's chest.

Daley suddenly comes to his senses and moves, flying away from the Cornucopia and through one of the exits. He is just downright lucky that he didn't die. But luck's not on everyone's side. Seeder cries out as her female tribute gets struck down by Glaze. I tense up as Savannah gets spotted by the District 2 girl. They stab at each other with knives. When the girl's knife connects with Savannah's arm, she cries out in pain, but continues to fight. Suddenly an axe flies into the side of the District 2 girl's head, splattering blood all over Savannah, who screams. She then takes this as her cue to leave and, hurling a backpack onto her shoulder, dashes to one of the near exits, and she escapes the Cornucopia.

I collapse into one of the sofas in relief, and realise my eyes are full of tears. I review an additional screen that shows each of the tributes in red. Six of the faces are shaded in grey, and it soon becomes obvious that these are the tributes that are no longer alive. The girls from 2, 3 and 11 and the boy from 6 are all dead, plus both from District 12. A little part of me hurts as I remember Art, the lone Victor from 12, and wonder how he's taking losing yet another set of tributes.

There are eight tributes left at the Cornucopia, and this quickly becomes seven as the girl from 8 gets slaughtered by the boy from 2's axe. The five Careers quickly turn on the final two Cornucopia dwellers. The boy from 6 manages to escape alive, but the girl from 10 is not as lucky, and she earns a spear to the neck, as she tries to leave the Cornucopia. The Careers are now just picking at the supplies to find better weapons.

The mentoring room is quiet, the silence broken by the occasion sob or growl of anger from those with dead tributes, but no one really talks until about five minutes have gone by,

'I need a drink.' The female Victor from 3 says with a grimace.

'I'll second that.' Miami adds, and soon most of the Victors are drinking alcohol.

I don't, because I've never tried alcohol – people my age aren't allowed it in District 5, and neither does Seeder, but all the others do, including Tyga. When my eyes return to the screen, everyone is on the move, with the exception of the Careers. The high-scoring boys from Districts 9, 10 and 11 have grouped together, and the pair from 7 run, hand-in-hand. They definitely have some kind of relationship. All the other tributes are on their own, including Daley and Savannah.

With the Careers currently occupied, and neither Daley nor Savannah particularly close to anyone else, Tyga takes this time to show me how the control boards work. The board has numbers 1 to 12 on it. Tyga touches her finger to the 5 and the screen changes, showing information on both Savannah and Daley – everything from heart rates to injuries. She then shows me all the features – there's an option to view the map, to track any other tributes, to access certain cameras – there really is every option you need.

'The sponsor money appears when the Cornucopia battle is officially announced as over. That is, when all tributes have left the Cornucopia.'

I nod, but the bloodbath has reminded me of how Ace saved me last year when the Games started. She threw a knife into my attacker's back.

'Why did Ace save me? At the Cornucopia, she killed the boy who was attacking me.'

Tyga swallows hard. 'I don't know, maybe you should ask Tobi. But, for now let's just focus on this. We have a job to do.'

She's right. I can't be distracted with old memories now.

'I'm not letting Daley die, you know.' I tell her.

It's not a question. I'm not asking for permission. I'm telling her a fact.

'I know' she replies, with a sad nod.

* * *

The day goes by fairly uneventfully. It becomes a fairly social environment in the mentoring room, when most of the tributes are either resting or exploring. I speak to the District 3 pair whose names, I learn, are Surge and Vira. Surge seems to go out of his way to talk to me. His stature contrasts his personality and he seems really friendly and cool. He's a fairly recent Victor too, and I get the feeling he can relate his first experience of mentoring to mine and, judging by his smashing of the table (the remains of which were later removed by two men in red), he still finds it difficult.

Vira, being by far the eldest in the room, has seen it all and done it all. If someone says they've eaten squid, she's eaten whale. If someone says they've visited the Capitol Stadium, she was there when it was built. But despite this, she's still amazingly down to earth, and has a very calming manner, which I'm sure is useful when mentoring with Surge. I speak to Seeder and Miami as well, but Green seems to not make a huge amount of conversation with me. This is no issue for me.

The food, like everything in the Capitol, is delicious, and I find some packets with chunks of spiced chicken in them, which I like and request more of, snacking on them for most of the day. The only time I leave the room is when I briefly go to the bathroom, and even then, I speed-walk both ways, terrified that I'll miss a crucial moment. When the sponsor money comes through, it isn't much, but Tyga appears to be pleasantly surprised, so I guess I can only take positives from that. There's nothing that Daley and Savannah desperately need right now, so we don't waste the small amount of money we do have.

Between the Victors, there was a fair amount of speculation as to how we would actually get the parachutes to the tributes, considering almost every part of the arena has a roof on it. However, when Vira and Surge send their tribute some bandages, we see the parachute appear through a shoot in the factory, which clarifies this. We also wonder how the tributes will get food, and soon we determine that the only food source is the rats that scurry through the factory, and maybe the plants growing through the cracks in the walls. Vira thinks she recognises one or two of them as edible.

Daley has hidden himself in a small storage room, not wide enough for him to stretch out in, and is currently fighting back tears. I can't bear to look at him, so I focus on Savannah who is attempting to treat her wound with some bandages from her pack, in a room on what appears to be the top floor of the factory. The Careers have set up camp in a large factory room, with machines jutting out from the floor creating walls of broken metal. They appear to be settling down from the night, so my fears for Daley and Savannah are lightened slightly.

With the Careers settled down, Tyga suggests I go to sleep, but I refuse, so she heads to the fifth floor to get some sleep. She also informs me that an alarm will go off on our floor if another tribute comes within 200 metres of either Savannah or Daley, which comforts me.

By the time it hits around midnight, Surge, Miami and I are the only mentors left.

'So, Connor,' Miami begins, breaking the silence with a wry smile on her face, 'How are you enjoying the mentoring experience?'

'It's wonderful.' I reply dryly.

'You've got all your tributes left after the first day. That's lucky. Don't get used to it.'

'Leave him be,' Surge says, sipping a coffee, 'He doesn't need you patronising him.'

Miami scowls at the District 3 Victor.

'And I'm sure he doesn't need you _defending_ him either.'

Surge shrugs his broad shoulders and continues to drink his coffee. The night continues with conversations that mostly start and end as quickly as this one until, at around 3am, I can no longer keep my eyes awake.

'I'm gonna go upstairs now.' I say.

'Me too,' Surge says. 'Vira should be fully rested by now.'

'Oh boy,' Miami says, rolling her eyes, 'Can't wait to spend a bit more time with the Hunger Games veteran and, well, _Tyga_. Gonna need a few more of these.' she adds, picking up a cocktail from the bar.

Surge and I travel to the elevator together, leaving Miami alone in the room full of screens. When I look back on her, I spot weary eyes for the first time, as her grin fades and she relaxes into her chair uncomfortably.

'Sorry about her,' Surge says when we're in the elevator.

'Doesn't bother me' I reply. It does a little bit, but after spending hours in her presence, I'm getting accustomed to her slyness.

'If it helps, I think you're handling her very well. Took me at least a year to adjust to her. I'm not sure Tyga even has yet.'

'Yeah, well, she beats a fair few of the Capitol people I've met.'

'Amen to that' he says with a laugh. He then pauses, and what he says next surprises me. 'I'm glad you won, Connor. Not many people come through the Games with any form of morality. It's nice to know people like you still exist.'

Surge towers above me, there's probably close to a foot between the tops of our heads. He's from another District and he's six years older than me. But when he's talking to me heart-to-heart, it's like we're just two normal guys, with the same history and similar lives. Like there's no difference between us at all. And I suppose, in a way, we're not all that different when you get down to the core of our memories.

'Granted, in the Games, good guys tend to finish last.' He continues. 'And I suppose we're all a bit broken when we emerge from the arena, but...' He trails off before regaining focus. 'Well, I guess I'm just glad you're still with us.'

I smile modestly back at him. I don't know how to respond to this – a situation I now find myself in regularly. But, I've suddenly grown really trusting of this man, so I think it's appropriate to ask him a question I need an honest answer to.

'Does it get better, Surge?'

He sighs. 'Do you want the truth or what everyone pretends is the truth?'

'The truth.'

'No, it doesn't get better.' His face sinks in a way that confirms to me he's telling the truth. 'But, you find ways of dealing with it. I mean, I'm still on the journey – you have to remember, I only won a few years ago. But, you find happiness in the small things – the stars at night, a smile from a friend, a photo of a loved one. The memories don't get better, but _you_ do.'

The elevator comes to a halt as we reach floor 3.

'Good night, Connor.' He says with a smile, and then steps out of the elevator, letting the doors hiss shut behind him.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I thought I fixed the problem with the '*****'s, but apparently not - so I apologise if a few parts have seemed disjointed. I didn't want to use the lines to seperate them, but I guess that's the only way it'll work, or if you knowan alternative, let me know. So, yeah - anyway, my last chapter was the most reviewed I've ever had I think - so thanks so much! :D The next chapter will be up next monday, so in the mean time let me know what you think is going to happen/opinions on characters/anything else! And I hope you're enjoying the story so far!


	13. Chapter 13

-_April 1__st__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

When I wake up, it is around 9am. I woke up on more than one occasion during the night, but I forced myself to sleep – I need full focus for this afternoon. When I returned to our floor last night, I felt bad about waking Tyga up, but she has no delusions about how we need to constantly monitor our tributes, so she was quick to go down to the basement.

I hastily get dressed, and my shower takes less than two minutes. I can't afford to miss a crucial moment of the Games – my tributes' lives could depend on it. When I walk into the living room area, I find Decimus perched on the couch, watching two large screens, one showing the coverage of the Games, and the other is split between footage of Savannah and Daley. Savannah is on the move, whilst Daley is still crouched in his storeroom.

'Oh Connor!' Decimus says, hopping off his seat and walking over to me. 'How are you finding everything? Is it all okay?'

I remind myself that Tyga is constantly watching the arena, so our tributes are in safe hands. With this in mind, I stop to talk to Decimus.

'Yes, it's all fine. A bit stressful, but essentially fine.'

'Oh good. And how are you finding the other Victors? Are you getting on with them?'

It feels like I've just walked home from the first day at a new school, and my parents are grilling me about whether I made any new friends. I suppose, though, that Decimus' intentions are probably from a point of view of needing to have good relations with other mentors, in case we need to work with them.

'Yeah. Surge and Vira seem nice.' I reply. 'Miami is, well, Miami, and I haven't really spoken to Green.'

'Good, good.' He nods. 'I'm going to try to rustle up some more interest, and get us some sponsors this morning. Tyga's coming with me. We'll leave when you get downstairs.'

I grab a bowl of cereal and take it with me to the elevator, eager to get downstairs. I'm sure they'll have a big buffet of food downstairs, and my actions are subject to severe tutting from Decimus, but I don't really care. When I arrive in the basement, I make my way to room 3. Vira and Tyga are the only two in the room when I arrive.

'Where've the others gone?' I ask, crunching on my cereal. I was right – there is a large buffet of food, and suddenly the cereal seems less appealing.

'Seeder's moved to room 4 to be with the District 9 and 10 mentors so they can discuss their tributes' alliance, and Miami and Green have gone to be with the other Careers for the same reason.' Tyga replies, whilst tapping in something on her control board.

'Did I miss anything last night?'

'The Careers got the boy from 6 an hour ago, but other than that nothing much. Savannah's doing alright, but Daley hasn't moved all night I don't think. He's fine though, I've checked his levels.'

It's only a few minutes before Tyga leaves, and then I'm left on my own with Vira. She's good company. We don't talk a whole lot, but she has a comforting presence.

'So, what's the story with your tributes?' I ask her. I immediately realise that she has only one left, and brace myself for the awkwardness that will certainly follow, but she coolly ignores any tension.

'Well, Ina never really had a shot, if I'm honest. She was a vegetarian and the idea of having to even hunt animals made her queasy. I suppose it's a blessing she didn't have to see too much violence before they got her.' _A blessing_ – that feels like a somewhat out of place description. 'And Kurt – well, he's no good with weapons, only got a 4 in training. But, that kid is smart. I mean, look at him.'

She points to the screen on her control board, where Kurt is fiddling with some wires.

'What's he doing?' I ask.

'Last night, he found a loose wire that was sparking electricity all over the place and, if I'm correct, it looks like he's turning it into some kind of weapon by increasing the power. Should be able to shock a person to death by the time he's done with it, and it only takes about half a minute to recharge. Smart kid.'

I marvel at the ingenuity the boy shows – he can't be much older than about fifteen. I've seen District 3 in years before – what they lack in survival skills, they certainly make up for in intelligence. Vira continues.

'Tell you what, I was speaking to District 7 – their tributes' story is just awful. So, the girl gets reaped, and then her brother volunteers, so that he can protect her in the arena. They don't have any family at home. Of course, she's begging for him to stay, because at least one of them will die, but he refuses. Terrible stuff.

The woman shakes her head. She's about to continue, but then I suddenly see her spot something on one of the screens, and she gasps. She twists abruptly round to see the screen, where the Careers are on the move. They are just two rooms away from the girl from 9. As they silently creep through the rooms, they suddenly spot the girl. I see her eyes widen with fear on the monitor, and she shoots off into another room. The Careers, forgetting their silent tracking, launch at the girl. Cerulean shoots an arrow, but her arrow rebounds of one of the walls, as she ducks through a door.

They chase her through the building, as Vira and I look on in fear. I don't even know the girl – she didn't make much of an impression at any stage, but yet I'm terrified of the Careers getting her. It brings back memories of Chant and Bliss and Teal. They storm after her, but she's swift and agile, ducking through doorways and dodging the knives that spiral through the air from Aura's skilful hands.

Suddenly I hear Vira gasp again. At first I don't see it, but then I notice that the girl is getting progressively closer to where Kurt is tinkering with his shocker, testing it out on rats which hit the floor dead, and is blissfully unaware of the approaching danger. I can feel Vira tense up beside me, her fists clenching, as her calm nature dissipates.

The girl is just a few rooms away from Kurt now, and the gap is closing really quickly. She's faster than the Careers, with their armour and weapons, but they're gaining quickly. The girl knocks over an empty oil canister, causing a clang to rattle through the floor, and suddenly Kurt is aware of the danger. His shocker is still in his hand, sparking wildly, as he backs away from the door.

Suddenly the girl bursts into the room, her eyes widening in fear as she spots Kurt, but her pace is such that she can't just stop. She plunges into Kurt, and the shocker fries her body, leaving her muscles convulsing as she hits the ground, as dead as the rats around her. Kurt shrieks in fear, before hearing the oncoming footsteps, and flying out of the room, abandoning the shocker he'd worked so long on. It clangs on the floor, the sparks diminishing as it recharges.

Vira's hands are gripping the table in front of her like a vice. Kurt is a good three or four rooms away when the Careers discover the dead body of the District 9 girl. Lucky for him, they stop in the room – all five of them crammed around the girl's body.

'What the hell do you think happened here?' Rune, the District 4 boy asks.

'Dunno.' Glaze says, picking up the shocker. 'Maybe it has something to do with this?'

'What is it?' Cerulean asks.

Glaze fondles the object in his hand. 'No idea, looks like a bunch of junk that's jus-'

Having recharged, the shocker suddenly activates, and Glaze collapses to the floor in a sudden blaze of electricity, his muscles flailing wildly, and the others jumping out the way to avoid the dead Career. As the shocker recharges, Rune kicks it to the other side of the room with his foot.

'Whoever made this is gonna be long gone by now.' he says.

All four of them seem remarkably unfazed by their ally's death. The only one who shows even a hint of emotion is Cerulean, Glaze's District partner, but even she keeps a stern expression. The Careers exit out the doorway they first came through – the opposite way to Kurt, causing Vira to take a deep breath, and slump onto the sofa.

'Thirteen left.' I say and we sit in silence.

* * *

A/N: At the moment, I'm not being able to write as much as I could be, so for now, I'm only going to be uploading on Mondays. But you never know, I might suddenly be able to write a lot - fingers crossed! Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this and of course, no matter when you're reading this, please review! :D Who do you like? Dislike? Want to see more of? Needs developing? What do you think's gonna happen? Let me know in the reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

-_April 3__rd__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

Tyga's cries and mine merge into one as we witness the inevitable.

The three remaining Careers had been stalking an oblivious Savannah for the last half an hour. It was only so long before they got her. Cerulean was the one to deliver the fatal blow – a knife wound to the chest, right over the heart. It was a quick death. We can be thankful for that.

This leaves eight tributes. Yesterday was very bloody. The group of boys from 9, 10 and 11 took on the Careers. Ultimately the Careers won, leaving just the boy from 11 to scuttle away, but they weren't without their victims. Aura, the girl from 4, met an axe as it plunged into her chest, and most of the others sustained significant wounds. The night saw the girl from 6, barely alive from dehydration, get easily taken down by the boy from 11, fresh from the Career battle.

Somehow, Daley has survived. This is more down to luck though, he's been darting from hiding place to hiding place, just managing to avoid the Careers' patrols, but he's showing a clear lack of food. We've managed to get him some rolls, and he's found a source of water – a leaking pipe, but he's low on energy and if he gets caught by the Careers, I can't see him outrunning them. Kurt, the District 3 boy is still alive, much to the relief of Vira and Surge, as are the siblings from 7 – the only District to have both its tributes alive.

The Training Centre seems a lot emptier now that the mentors from 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12 have all returned home, following their tributes' deaths. I haven't seen Miami since she changed rooms, but I shared an elevator with Brutus, who ensured me that his tribute, Icarus, had the Games in the bag. Naturally, I've spent a significant amount of time with Vira and Surge, and Surge is beginning to remind me of Tristan. He has a very brother-like quality to him, and when he talks to me about the Games, it seems somewhat protective, like he's filtering out anything that he thinks would upset me. It's touching, but it also reminds me of home, and I've found myself longing for the comfort of District 5. His hand is now on my shoulder.

He doesn't say anything as I hold tight to Tyga. Neither of us has shed a tear, and that's the worst thing. We just stare into the tension in the room, the silence swallowing us up. Because this is worse than being in the Games. When you're in the arena, you can make a conscious decision to try and save someone, but here the decision's out of your hands – you just have to watch as they die, knowing there's nothing you can do to help them. That's the first emotion.

And then comes the second, where you realise that maybe something you could have said, but decided not to, could have saved this child's life. One little piece of advice that you withheld because the time wasn't right. See, that's the thing with being a mentor – you have no control over your tributes, and yet simultaneously you have total control.

It's probably ten minutes before we let each other go, reluctant to release our grip, as if it's the only thing keeping us alive. A Capitol attendee enters the room – a man in a plum suit – addressing me and Tyga, and ignoring the obvious trauma we're going through.

'Your escort wishes to speak with one of you. He did not specify which,' He says with an amount of enthusiasm that could, given the circumstances, warrant a punch that most would understand. 'He's on floor five.'

'I'll go.' I say selfishly. 'I can't be in here anymore.'

I get up off my seat, as Tyga nods acceptingly, exhaling deeply to rid herself of the emotion. I follow the man in the suit out of the door, and along the corridor to the elevator.

'Well, it's certainly an exciting Games, isn't it?' he says perkily.

'How about you shut up and piss off.' I reply.

* * *

At floor five, I am greeted by Decimus. His face exudes none of the happiness the Capitol attendee's did, but he does not seem to be grieving. If there's one thing Decimus does well, it's professionalism. Or maybe he just doesn't care. But, I like to think that it's professionalism.

He's wearing a deep maroon suit, with sharp nails that match the colour. His hair is a lighter red, and travels in waves down to the back of his neck, tucked behind the ears. This can't be natural – yesterday his hair was a good few inches shorter.

'Now, this has come at an unfortunate time,' he says, beckoning me to the couch, 'But you're a Victor, and it's your job to cope at times of tragedy.'

I join him on the couch, trying to ignore the several screens that display the Games from every angle, and trying just as hard not look too deep into what he just said.

'Anyway, you may not have noticed but there are eight tributes remaining. You know what that means.'

Of course – the interviews with the family and friends. I'd forgotten about these. I'll have to see Keira, Daley's sister, and his parents, through the TV screen as they pray that he'll survive.

'Now, whilst the interviews take place at home, it's customary for the mentors to give an interview for the Capitol, so that they can use the footage with this.'

'So, I have to pretend that Daley has a shot at winning?' I say. I don't even think about it, it just comes out. Decimus looks at me with sad eyes.

'Surely, by now, you're used to pretending for the Capitol?'

This is the first negative thing I've ever heard Decimus say about the Capitol. He knows that I hate it, and for once, he's not trying to persuade me otherwise. I nod silently. He continues.

'Are you happy to be the one doing the interview?'

I nod again.

'Good. Cassia and the team are already here. The interview will take place here – it's fitting to have a more natural setting.'

When the conversation ends, Cassia and the team are immediately addressing me. Under Decimus' instructions, they work faster than they ever have before, and by the time they leave me, I look remarkably different. They've dyed my hair – it's still blond, but is a much darker shade – bordering on brown. Apparently, this is so, as a mentor, I look more mature. The way Cassia tuts when she sees me suggests I'm not fooling anyone though. I wear a black suit, with dark red lapels and maroon buttons.

Within the hour, the Capitol camera crew are here. I tell them everything they want to hear. _Mentoring's a challenge, but an enlightening experience._ Lie. _It's really interesting to see how Daley's developed in the arena. _Lie. _Of course Daley can win._ Lie.

When, a few hours after they leave, I see the edited footage, I look completely genuine. I hate that. Keira's in tears, as is Daley's mum. His dad is staying strong, but all three of them are naively hopeful of his potential victory becoming a reality. I see the families of the Careers – proud. Too proud. Those kids are brainwashed from an early age by the looks of things. For District 7's interviews they clearly had to scrape around for someone to interview. There're two of their teachers, their neighbour and the boy's best friend.

The screen is also littered with graphics, showing statistics and opinions. At one point they show what percentage of the Capitol is supporting whom. Unsurprisingly, the three remaining Careers make up over 60% of the vote. Next is the boy from 11, who's name appears to be Chaff, and Kurt follows with 8%, placing fifth. Next is the pair from 7 and Daley finishes at the bottom with just 4% believing he can win.

Fed up with what I've heard, I go to take a nap. I am weary, and whilst it's selfish, I need to think about me for a second. Daley is in easily capable hands with Tyga, and whilst I care about this boy, he's spent the majority of the last three days hiding in storerooms, so chances are that's what he'll be doing. I set the alarm to wake me up in an hour.

* * *

The alarm drills through my head as I wake up. It is amazing how loud it sounds when I've just woken up, as if it's resonating through the whole floor. I bat my hand at the clock, but the alarm continues. Sighing, I reach over to examine the clock. I can't understand what's wrong with it – it's Capitol technology, but I've used it enough times to understand how it works, but now I'm turning it off and it's just not working. Come to think of it, the alarm sounds unusual too. Almost like a siren.

I leap out of bed, without a second thought to the alarm clock. Outside the room, in the corridor, speakers scream the siren. The siren that tells me a tribute is close to Daley. The siren that's caught the attention of the whole floor, as Cassia and her team dart out of their rooms. The siren that means danger – a warning.

And the siren that could well mean Daley's imminent death.

* * *

A/N: Ooh it's all kickin' off! Guys, write now I'm experiencing serious writer's block - I know where I want this story to go, but I'm not really sure what should happen between this bit and that bit. So, right now I'm only uploading on Mondays so that you do get at least a chapter a week. I have the next 2 chapters written, and hopefully I'll get inspired and continue to be able to upload every Monday. Don't worry - there's no way I'm giving up on this story. Anyway, as usual - please review! Right now more than before, I really need the inspiration and, as I always say, reviews (even negative ones) inspire me to write more!


	15. Chapter 15

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your reviews for the last chapter. As a thank you, here's quite a substantial chapter (2000+ words) - I'll talk some more in the footer. Enjoy!

* * *

-_April 3__rd__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

I'm in the main quarters before I even realise. I'm staring at the screen, and it's exactly what I feared – the Careers are approaching Daley's hideout – a small storage room, but they are still some distance away. I feel a hand on my shoulder, and it makes me jump.

'You have time.' Decimus says quickly and seriously. 'Get downstairs – you and Tyga need to be together.'

I dash to the elevator. I can feel my breath shake its way out, as I sweat and swallow hard, dry saliva. The elevator journey is agonisingly slow, and I'm mere seconds away from ripping the doors open myself when they finally part themselves to let me out. I sprint past baffled Capitol attendees until I reach the room.

Tyga's eyes are locked on the screen, and I only register her for a second before my mind is immersed in the TV screens. The Careers are a few metres away from the storage room where Daley hides. The door is shut, so if he's silent, they shouldn't notice his presence, but that doesn't mean they won't just check it anyway. The Careers don't speak – they're professional, but Daley has clearly heard their loud footsteps, weighed down by armour, as he clasps a hand over his mouth and nose, covering his loud breathing.

I exhale for the first time in ages, as they walk straight past the door. Daley is safe. The three remaining Careers seem not to notice the door, or they just ignore it. To say I'm relieved is a massive understatement. I'm shaking now, and I lower myself slowly onto a seat, breathing dry, rapid breaths.

'Well, that's a relief.' I say, 'I don't know-'

'Wait!' Vira interrupts me.

My attention flicks back to the screen, where the Careers have stopped, and are speaking. They are the other end of the corridor to Daley.

'Well, we don't know. It's worth a check.' Cerulean says.

'Fine,' Rune replies, sighing, 'But, I'm telling you, if it's empty and one of the others hears us checking and legs it, then I'm not going to be happy.'

'You're never happy.' she spits back.

All three of the skilled tributes turn on their heel back towards Daley. I see him in the storeroom, and his eyes are wide with terror as the pupils dart around the frame of the door.

'Oh god, he's going to do it.' I hear someone say.

And just like that, the fourteen year old boy charges out of the door, and begins to sprint down the corridor, in clear sight of the approaching Careers. They go from 0 to 100 in seconds, and are soaring after him. They clatter through the corridors, and on one of the other screens I see Chaff, the District 11 boy, pick up on the sounds, and dash off in the other direction.

I'm shaking again, and I'm struggling to breathe. Not that breathing is a priority anyway. I don't have time to breathe. I'm too scared to breathe.

Daley stumbles through another corridor, narrowly missing an arrow from Cerulean. The armour has slowed down Icarus and Rune, but Cerulean is gaining on Daley quickly, despite her chest armour, and is priming another arrow in her bow. Another shot, and Daley screams in agony.

Clutching his bleeding arm, and ripping out the arrow with another scream of pain, he continues to run, eyes wet with tears. My blood turns cold as he turns another corner, and I know this will be the last sight he sees, because he's run straight into a dead end. Behind him, Cerulean flies round the corner and seeing the sight, slows down, grinning with such evil that I want to stab her, right here and now. But I can't. I'm powerless.

And as the arrow flies into Daley's skull, there is nothing I can do but stare as the corpse of this child collapses to the ground, like a puppet that has just had its strings cut. I watch as blood trickles down from the arrow's wound and is diluted by the salty tears around Daley's eyes, and everything goes silent for a second.

Then I scream.

I roar at the monitor, my teardrops turning into rainstorms. Cerulean's face lights up on one of the screens, and I punch it. The screen crackles, and shards of it fall to the ground as I continue to punch. Someone's trying to talk to me, but I don't hear them. I hear nothing. I see nothing, but Daley – dead on the floor, covered in red. This was my fault. Right now, I can't think why, but it must have been. There's no way a boy like Daley could have brought something like that on himself.

I'm being held back now. A tall, muscular figure. I don't know who. Surge probably. I struggle, limbs flying and punching anything they come in contact with – metal, flesh, all the same. I can barely see anything now, my view is a lake of tears, and they won't stop. Daley's face still stares back at me, and the Careers are by him, searching him for weapons maybe. How dare they touch him? How dare they touch the boy they brutally murdered? And there's a glint in Cerulean's eyes. Teal. I see Teal in Cerulean.

I scream more, as my throat starts to close up, leaving just strangled cries escaping my lips. It's all coming back now. Teal attacks me. I kill her. Melissa. I kill her. Chant. I kill him. And suddenly everything's black, and I feel someone catch me as I fall. I don't know what's real. Is this real? Is Teal attacking me? Is Tyga trying to calm me down? Am I watching Ace die? Only two things are true right now. The first is that Daley's dead, and the second is that I'm still screaming.

* * *

When I wake up, I can feel the movement in the room and I know I'm on the train. To where, I'm not sure – District 5 probably. I sit up groggily, and see that, whilst I'm in the plush quarters of the train, I'm wearing the kind of gown you find in hospitals. I slowly slip out of the covers, and walk over to the chest of drawers, where I find a red top and trousers that fit comfortably. I walk to the door, taking slow steps as my head spins, and open it, entering the hallway. I enter the main carriage, and Tyga immediately hops up off of her seat.

'Oh, you're awake!' she says with a start.

'What? How long was I out for?'

'Well, you spent the whole of yesterday knocked out in the hospital.'

'What?' I say with surprise. 'A whole day?'

'And the rest of the day before, after you...had your incident.'

She shifts uncomfortably on her feet, as she brings this up. She sits back down, green eyes darting across the room, avoiding my gaze. I sit next to her, and she places a hand cautiously on my knee.

'You're alright now though, right?' Her voice chokes awkwardly. 'I was worried.'

'I'm sure I'm fine. It was just all a bit-' Realising I have no idea how to finish this sentence, I change the subject. 'Are the Games over?'

I see her flinch back at the word 'Games'. I can't really remember much of what happened after Daley's... What happened after Daley. I guess it must have been quite shocking, because Tyga is noticeably slightly uncomfortable around me.

'No,' she replies, lowering her head. 'Four left – Rune, Chaff, Kurt and Cerulean.'

'Good.' I reply, hearing Cerulean's name. 'I want to see that vile girl die.'

'Connor!' Tyga recoils away, her face a painting of shock.

'Sorry.' I reply.

I'm not sorry because I said it. I was telling the truth. I'm sorry because I don't want to make Tyga feel uncomfortable. She's pretty much the only person in the world who properly understands me right now, and I can't lose that.

I look in her eyes, and I say it again, softer this time. 'Sorry.' She looks back at me, and I see her face flush with cautious forgiveness, and I make sure I hold my tongue from now on.

There's no mistaking when Decimus storms in, in a blur of colour. It makes me appreciate how much Tyga had held back, because Decimus doesn't dodge the point _at all_.

'Oh, so now he surfaces!' his rouged lips pierce the quiet of the train 'What the hell was that? You can't just go crazy on us! How do you think that reflects on our team, eh? You should have heard the other escorts – we're a total laughing stock!'

'I'm sorry, Decimus,' I say dryly. 'I wasn't aware how-'

'Not finished!' he snaps. 'You should have seen Surge – scratches and bruises _all over him_! I don't know what you did to that guy, but I guess you're just lucky he seems to like you, because otherwise we could be in _big_ trouble!'

He opens his mouth as if to say something else, but then closes it, realising all has been said. There's a slightly awkward silence, as Decimus' eyes bore into mine. In an attempt to change the subject, I review what Tyga said about the Games.

'So, Kurt is still alive?'

'Yeah,' Tyga replies, 'He's smart, that one.'

'Are Cerulean and Rune still working together?' Just saying her name feels wrong.

'Yes, just about. It won't last another day I don't think though. They're pretty much evenly matched, and you can tell they're both just waiting for the other to make the first move.'

'These Games are going quickly.' I remark.

Six days in and only four remain. These Games will be over by the end of the week. In fact, there's a good chance we could see a Victor today.

'They are.' Tyga replies. I hear Decimus huff and march out the room. 'We should probably put the footage on.'

And with that, we once again return to the world of the 45th Hunger Games, waiting for it all to be over for another year.

* * *

The Games are ending. There are two remaining – Cerulean and Chaff.

Kurt had been the first to go – a spear to the neck. It had been a quick death. That's the best you can hope for in this situation. Rune and Cerulean had turned on each other – a long and vicious battle had left Rune impaled with arrows, dead on the floor, and Cerulean bruised and bloodied. Now Chaff and Cerulean are circling each other. And I am excited.

It's a sick kind of excitement. The kind where I could puke up at any second if I even begin to think of what I'm anticipating. But I don't think. My entire focus is on Cerulean – the girl who murdered Daley and Savannah. The girl who smiled when doing so. I want her dead. And I want it now.

Cerulean shoots an arrow at Chaff, but he ducks out of its way and lunges at the District 1 girl before she can ready a new arrow. He tackles her to the ground and soon her bow is snapped and she has only an axe to defend herself. This axe, however, means that she's far from down and out. She swings it down and Chaff lets out a terrifying roar-scream, as it impacts on his wrist, leaving just a scarlet stump where his hand was.

I can see his eyes twirl as the pain begins to overtake him, but with one last surge of strength, he kicks Cerulean to the floor, her axe flying away from her. And he punches her, square in the face. Twice. Three times. Again. Again. I lose count before I hear the cannon. And it's done.

Cerulean is dead, but I'm not happy. How can I be happy? I've just watched a girl die, and the worst part is that, just a few moments ago, I wanted this to happen. How could I have wished for _this_? Cerulean's face is an unrecognisable scramble of flesh, and I wanted this. But I realise now – it's not Cerulean I hate. I'd been too lost to understand that then. Because it's not Cerulean. It's never been her.

It's the Capitol I hate.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I hope you enjoyed that. As I mentioned in the header, I got loads of reviews last week and I REALLY appreciate it. It honestly did inspire me to write more, and you'll find Chapter 17 - the chapter I've just finished writing - is a similar length to this one because of it. So, yeah - a lot of you caught the hint about Chaff I made last chapter. I'm not really up with the fanfiction terminology, but if by 'cannon' you mean sticking to the original timeline of events written by Suzanne Collins, then yes, I will be. I hope that's not an issue for anybody :) So, yeah - I had a bit of pressure to make Daley's death a good one, so I'd really appreciate if you let me know whether I succeeded or failed - in which case, how could I have improved it? But yeah, I adore reviews, so once again, I'd be very grateful if you took a few seconds to let me know what you think. See you next Monday!


	16. Chapter 16

-_April 6__th__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

I step out the train and the warm spring air flows into my body. The sky is blue, with a few patches of puffy white cloud and a glowing sun. But something is wrong.

A man is walking towards me. He's smiling, but there's something not quite right here. His face isn't familiar, but his smile is. But the second he's right in front of me, the smile vanishes, replaced by a face of rage, and it's too late to realise that he's Daley's father. His fist comes in contact with my jaw.

'YOU MURDERERS! YOU COULD'VE SAVED HIM! YOU COULD'VE GIVEN HIM SOMETHING TO FIGHT WITH!'

Peacekeepers are forcing him back now, but he's clawing at me. Not just me actually, Tyga too, who is tightly gripping onto my arm, and I can feel her quivering lightly.

'YOU DID NOTHING AND NOW HE'S DEAD!' He chokes on the word, and tears erupt from his eyes. 'YOU...You... You could have...saved him...'

His voice cracks and weakens with each word until he's just letting the Peacekeepers pull him away, tears streaming down his cheeks. He disperses into a crowd of white, as a group of Peacekeepers escort Tyga, still clutching onto me, and I to the Victor's village, where we enter Tyga's house together. A pair of Peacekeepers initially come in with us, but Tyga ushers them out, her voice shaking, and they take stance outside.

Tyga lets go of me, and I walk over to the kitchen sink to pour a glass of water. I offer her one, but when I turn around, I see her silently weeping on the couch. I sweep over to her, sitting by her side and wrapping my arm round her shoulder. This is the first time I've ever actually seen her tears, and it leaves me bewildered. This girl has been my mentor – she's been my rock, my support. But, now crystal drops dart across light freckles as they slope towards her chin.

'That's...that's never happened before.' She says, sniffing.

'Shhh' I say, letting my voice rest into a gentle tone, and wrapping my other arm around her, her hair making a cushion to support her head on my shoulder.

For a few minutes, we just sit there, embracing one another. I feel my face go pale, but I don't cry – Tyga's weakness is willing me to find strength. Yet, when I speak, I can hear a crack in my voice.

'I want to light a candle for Daley' I say, seeing Tyga's five candles that represent the people whose deaths she feels responsible for.

She pushes away from me. 'No, Connor.' She says, her emerald eyes piercing mine as she shakes her head. 'You can't do this. You can't start taking blame for things you have no control over.'

'But I keep thinking – surely I could have done something. I hadn't- I was his mentor. I promised him I'd help him.' I have to push my tongue to the roof of my mouth to keep the tears in. No more tears today.

'It's a slippery slope.' Tyga begins, her soft gaze comforting me. 'If you start blaming yourself for your tributes' deaths, you'll start doing it every year. And then you'll blame yourself for the other tributes that died at the hands of the kids you mentored. You'll just keep blaming yourself until your house is so full of candles that you'll have no room to move. You can't do that to yourself, Connor. I won't let you.'

It's now, as I look into those sorrowful but firm eyes, that I first truly examine her features. A light splattering of freckles coat her cheeks and nose, and shimmering green eyes radiate a soft glow. Her extraordinary ginger hair frames her round face, curling in waves, stopping just below the shoulders, a rainbow of gold, orange, crimson. Mascara mixed with tears has left greyish puddles beneath her eyes, and a soft layer of makeup covers most of her face, unnoticeable from a distance. Small red lips have now stopped whimpering, and her face has returned from the nineteen year old girl to the wise mentor. I wonder what she sees in my face.

I notice now that, despite her young age, Tyga lives alone in this house. I've met her sister, Tabs, but she's never mentioned her parents. I wonder if they're still alive. I can't imagine living without Tristan and Pura, just the safety of knowing that there will always be someone there for me. She must be so lonely with no one to comfort her screams. I suppose that's the life of a Victor. A life condemned to loneliness. I hadn't even given relationships a moment's thought since winning, but I suppose that being someone who wakes up screaming every night, being haunted by the handful of children they've killed, is probably classed as "damaged goods" by most.

'You should go,' Tyga says delicately. 'Pura and Tristan will be wanting to see you.'

'They can wait.'

She opens her mouth, about to retort, but only a word comes out. 'Okay.' She nestles her head into my shoulder and closes her eyes.

* * *

I don't think either of us actually sleeps during the hour we're sat there. We just sit, eyes closed, replaying the events of the day and embracing the company of someone who actually understands us, until there's a knock at the door. It's a peacekeeper who informs us that they're confident we are no longer at any form of risk, and will cease monitoring us.

'I should probably go and see Tobi.' Tyga says.

'Yeah, Tristan and Pura are probably wondering about me.'

'Okay.' She smiles, and we hug before I leave to return home.

When I enter, Pura flings her arms around me, her petit figure clutching onto my ribs.

'How's Keira?' I ask.

'I went round there a couple of times but she was never up for doing anything. And I don't think her parents really wanted me there, so I stopped coming after the first three days. But I did try to support her.'

'Good, well done.'

After Pura relieves her grasp, Tristan tells me about the last week in District 5. Apparently, the expectations were low, especially considering we've had two Victors in the last three years. We shouldn't be getting our hopes up and we know that. According to Tristan, Tobi came over a fair bit to watch the Games with them.

'It's his first year not being a major part of the Games, so I guess he felt a bit lost,' Tristan says, 'I don't think he goes into the District much. We went to the bakery together and – I dunno – Mr. Tyne seemed kinda...cold towards him.'

'Mr. Tyne? Cold?' I ask between mouthfuls of a delicious panini Tristan has cooked, 'Since when has Mr. Tyne ever been cold?'

'I know. It was odd. Tobi seemed really on edge in town.' He shrugs. 'Anyway, it's good to have you back. At least we can return to normal for a year or so.'

'Yeah,' I reply, 'Normal. I like the sound of that.'

* * *

A/N: Hey guys - hope you liked that! Not a particularly exciting chapter, I know, but a necessary one :) Anyway, let me know what you think will happen next, and what you like/dislike about how the stories going in the reviews! Honestly, every review improves my writing and helps me to write more. Even if you're reading this ages after it's been posted, I still appreciate reviews! So, anyway - I'll see you next Monday :D


	17. Chapter 17

-_October 12__th__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

'3...2...1...'

I take in a deep gush of air and blow out the candles. The occupants of the room cheer as all seventeen of the candles immediately diminish their flames. We're all crowded around the kitchen table, where the wax lightly smokes off of the cake. There are six of us – Tristan, Pura, Shay, Kennedy, Tobi and I. Tyga has been in the Capitol for the last two weeks – "official business" according to Tobi.

Wrapping paper lies in crumples around the room, and a heap of presents sits in the corner, topped with a box containing a dozen cupcakes from Mr and Mrs. Tyne. Tobi is now cutting the cake – a plain chocolate cake baked by Tristan and Pura early this morning as I slept. Sleeping still is accompanied by waking up at random intervals sweating and breathing heavily, but the screaming has ceased, at least for the last two or three weeks.

'Did you make a wish?' Shay asks with a smile.

'He doesn't need a birthday cake to make a wish.' Tobi interjects. 'The way his life's turned out, whoever's running this world owes him big time.'

Shay laughs nervously, and I smile at Tobi. I've come to accept how the Games are no big deal for him anymore – he doesn't dodge the topic at all. I suppose if you don't laugh about it, you'll just end up in tears.

I didn't make a wish. I've somewhat given up on the belief that someone out there is watching over me. Besides, if I did make a wish, I don't even know what I'd wish for – in the last year and a half, everything has become so uncertain. I suppose I'd wish for Pura's safety – she's still at risk from the Games. But then, so are Shay and Kennedy. It'll be Kennedy's last Reaping next year, but that puts him at an even bigger risk. A horrible thought flashes through my mind that I might have to mentor them, but I hastily push it away. Today is for celebration, not for sombre thoughts.

'Here you go, birthday boy!' Tobi says, handing me a slice of cake. As I bite into it, sweet flavours from the chocolate frosting engulf my taste buds. It's delicious.

Tristan stands by the window now, near my set of four candles. 'Oh, looks like Tyga's back.' he comments.

I feel my spirit lift when he says this. I hadn't realised how important Tyga had become to me until she had sped off to the Capitol, but once she was gone, I felt lonely.

'I'll go and invite her round!' I say with a grin.

'Connor, wait-' Tobi begins, 'She's probably very tired after her time in the Capitol. She could probably do with a rest.'

'Okay, then – I'll just take her round some cake.' I pick up a slice and head to the front door. 'You can never be too tired for cake.'

'I'd have to agree, Tobi.' Tristan says with a smile, which is not reflected back from the Victor's worried face.

I think Tobi protests again, but I'm shutting the door behind me before he can say anything else. I walk over to Tyga's house, and wrap my knuckles on the wooden door. After a few seconds and no reply, I knock again.

'Tyga! It's me! I brought you cake!'

I hear footsteps from behind the door, then some scrambling, and the latch is unlocked. Tyga opens the door ever so slightly, so I can only see half her body. She's wearing dark sunglasses.

'Hey, I brought you some cake' I say with a smile.

'Oh, thanks.' She says, wrenching a smile onto her face. 'I...forgot it was your birthday.'

'No problem.' I reply. Tyga shifts uncomfortably. 'Is...everything alright?'

'Yeah, fine.'

'I was going to invite you round if you wanted. Everybody's there.' Tyga's eyes seem to glaze past mine for just a fraction of a second, before their gaze repositions on my face. 'Tyga, are you sure you're all alright? What's with the sunglasses?'

'Oh, uh...it was dark. On the train, it was dark. And then I came out and the lights were just so bright,' she starts, 'So I put on some sunglasses.'

'Tyga, what's wrong?'

'Nothing's wrong. Thank you for the cake.' she takes the plate of cake from my hand and starts to shut the door. I wedge my foot in between the door and the frame. 'Connor, honestly – there's nothing wrong!'

'I don't believe you.'

'Fine! Don't believe me then! I don't care, just leave me alone!'

'Tyga! Tell me what the matter is!'

'There is nothing wrong! Leave, Connor. Leave now.'

'Answer me, Tyga!'

'Look, this is ridic-'

'What are you hiding?!'

'Nothing!'

'God knows I've heard enough lies to work out when somebody is telling the truth! So, tell me the truth!' I roar with power I never knew I had. Tyga steps backwards in shock.

'Leave. Now.'

'I am not going to go until you tell me what's wrong!'

'Fine.' she snarls quietly. 'You want to know what's wrong. Do you want to know what's always _wrong_?'

She flings the door wide open and I see her sleeveless right arm is dotted with purple bruises. She slowly removes her sunglasses, revealing her right eye to be painted in mauve. Except it's not eyeshadow – it's not some Capitol mixture. She's got a black eye. I step inside and she closes the door behind me.

'What...' I'm taken aback. 'What...happened to you?'

'President Snow happened. The _Capitol _happened.' she spits.

Tyga's bruised figure shocks me. As one of the strongest people I know, both mentally and physically, I can't understand how the Capitol has left her so fragile and hostile.

'The Capitol did this to you? They had you beaten up?' I say, my voice trembling with shock.

Tyga looks down and chuckles lightly. A dry, malicious chuckle. 'You're so naive.'

'Well then, _enlighten me_.'

'You have no idea what the Capitol does to people like me.' she says, ignoring my request and avoiding my gaze.

'So tell me.' I say through gritted teeth.

'They use us, Connor.'

She walks into the kitchen and I follow her. Picking up a half empty glass of red wine, she takes a large gulp and then places back down on the counter.

'What do you mean _they use you_? What do they use you for?'

'For anything they want!' she suddenly shouts, her pupils tiny and piercing in their green irises, looking right through me. 'That's what the Capitol do! They take people, they manipulate them, and they turn them into whatever the hell they want them to be! That's how the Capitol works, Connor, and the sooner you understand that, the better.'

'I still don't understand what you mean.'

For the first time in a minute, she looks me directly in the eye and I feel like she actually notices my confusion.

'You know what we are, Connor? We're Victors.' she starts, in an eerily quiet tone. 'We're idols. We're celebrities. From the moment we step into that arena, we're what every Capitol citizen wants. Sure, it's alright for people like you – people who are seen as young , sweet, not overly attractive. You win, people love you, you're the sweetheart of the nation, then sooner or later you get forgotten. Just another winner. But, people like me – people who got sponsors like I got sponsors – we don't have it so easy.'

'_Easy_?!' I'm outraged. 'You think my life is _easy_? You think my Games were _easy_?'

'You have no idea!' she shrieks, her voice loud and hoarse. 'When you're someone like me who got sponsors by being flirtatious – seductive – sponsor money wasn't a gift – it was an _investment_. And now they're cashing in those investments and there is nothing I can do about it!'

'...what?'

Suddenly pieces are starting to fit together. Her "business trips" to the Capitol. Her adamant refusal that Savannah's interview angle should be sexy. Her distancing herself from her family.

'That rich old man who paid for some matches for me in the arena – he didn't care about whether I survived or not! He was just thinking about some lonely night in the future when his wife would be out of town and he'd be feeling a little wild! Because that's what I do – I _entertain_ them!' There are tears in her eyes now. 'So, go on, Connor! Tell me about how you're life's so hard! I dare you!'

'I...I...' I swallow hard. Tears are streaming down Tyga's freckled cheeks now. 'Why...why don't you just say no?'

'Because if I do, bad things happen!' she spits this furiously, but I can hear her voice started to crack with emotion. 'You must've seen it before – Victor's loved ones getting reaped? It happens so regularly – it can't be coincidence. They threaten the people I _love_, Connor! That's why I do it! I have no choice!'

'What, Tabs?' I remember Tyga's sister, the only member of her family I know. 'They threaten you that they'll hurt Tabs?'

'Yes.' She sniffles lightly, her voice cracking into a barely audible whisper. 'And...you.'

She collapses down onto the couch and cradles her head in her hands. I sit beside her, still in shock, and put my arm around her back. She flinches slightly, but doesn't protest.

'Don't. If they threaten me, just let them. I don't care what happens to me.'

'Connor, you know there's no point in saying that.' She shakes her head. 'I'm never going to let the Capitol hurt you or your family. You know that.' A fresh set of tears spout from her eyes and her hands return to her face. 'I'm nineteen years old. Life shouldn't be like this.'

'No.' I say softly. 'It shouldn't. Is there no way you can get out of this?'

Her face re-emerges from her hands, her eyes bloodshot – more so on the black eye. 'There are only three ways as far as I know. The first is you become unappealing – it's tricky – usually involves drugs, alcohol, gaining a lot of weight, something like that. The second is marriage. Spending the night becomes less appealing if they know you're already married. But, this barely ever happens. For one thing, the Capitol will only allow it if both partners have equally high standing – like if you marry an upper class Capitol citizen or another Victor, something like that. If you choose some normal person from your District, chances are, they'll be..._disposed of_.' She whimpers slightly. 'And the third, of course, is death.'

We just sit there for a few minutes. Tears threaten from my eyes as well, but I can't justify them, so I keep them contained. Tyga's breathing is heavy and shaky. She's just a girl. Only two and a half years older than I. She puts up this bravado that she's dominant and in control, but she's just being used by the system like every other Victor. I wonder who else is being used like this – Surge? Possibly. Miami? Almost certainly.

'The bruises?' I ask.

'He wanted more than he'd paid for.'

Again, we pause, just taking in the sharp, bitter atmosphere. The air feels heavier now, and it doesn't feel right that the sun should be shining so happily on the reception of such a terrible news.

'I'm sorry I made you tell me even though you didn't want to.' I say quietly.

She looks up and our faces are only a few inches apart. I stare into the emerald pools of her eyes as she speaks.

'Don't ever apologise, Connor.' She shakes her head, never losing eye contact. And her face is deadly serious, but her muscles are relaxed. She seems...peaceful. 'You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm just sorry you had to find out like this.'

I smile at her. 'We'll get through this.'

She loops her fingers through mine. 'I hope so.'

And then she closes the gap between our two faces, presses her lips to mine and kisses me gently.

* * *

A/N: Ooooh! Did you see that one coming? Let me know in the reviews! Anyway, so I'm hoping to either upload another chapter this week, or 2 next week, but right now your reviews are really crucial to inspire me to write more and more! Your reviews from Ch.14 (I think - maybe Ch.15) inpired me to make this chaper a lot longer - it really does help! Sometimes, seeing a review (even a negative one) can be just the boost I need to start writing again! So thanks for sticking with it, and please, please review! :D


	18. Chapter 18

-_October 12__th__, Year of the 45__th __Hunger Games-_

Tyga's lips are soft against mine and the second they touch, the room suddenly lifts. I close my eyes, as does she, and my vision turns to black. Yet in the blackness I can sense everything that is going on. I can see us kissing in my mind and all my emotions become almost visible, bubbling up to the surface to create brief streaks of colour in my mind. This is beautiful. It's perfect. But it's not right. I pull away.

Tyga's eyes flutter open, her pupils swimming in a lake of green. She backs off slightly, but there are still mere inches between our lips.

'Tyga...' I begin, my voice soft – a whisper against the silence of the room, 'I'm...not sure this is a good idea. You're vulnerable...and I don't want to take advantage of that.'

Tyga pulls back a little more, but her eyes remain locked on mine, silently surveying the mood – examining what I've just said and judging the best path of action. With eyes as vivid as hers, I don't immediately notice the bruise around her right eye or the grey puddles of dampened mascara. But they are there and I can't ignore them.

'Look, I'm just not sure if...' I'm struggling to piece my thoughts together. I haven't really taken it in yet, and it's starting to dawn on me. Tyga kissed me. I'd always seen her as a wonderful person – a wonderful mentor – but had I ever thought of our relationship as something other than two Victors? Two people just trying to get along in life as easily as possible. But maybe that's what relationships are about. 'Are you sure this is a good decision?'

Tyga sniffles slightly. 'No,' she begins, 'No, I'm not, Connor. I'm not sure at all. It's probably a stupid decision.' She chokes in another set of sniffs. 'But right now it's all I want.'

She leans again, slightly more hesitantly this time, but I don't move backwards. Instead, I let her kiss me once more. Thinking back, I don't think I've ever been kissed before and, if it was anything like this, I'm sure I'd remember. The Games interrupted me at my peak of relationship discovery and since then it has barely crossed my mind. But here I am, kissing Tyga. And somehow, for the few seconds that are mouths are locked, all the tragedy that has plagued my life melts away.

After what simultaneously feels like an eternity and no time at all, our lips part and Tyga looks to our hands, still interlocked. 'How do you do this, Connor?'

'Do what?'

'Break me down like this. I don't do _emotions_. I get scared, but I don't let people know. Only Tobi, and that's because he saw me at my worst before I learnt to build up this wall. And it's a strong wall, you know, Connor. Nobody's ever cracked through it,' she looks back up to me, 'And then you come along and, within a few minutes, the wall might as well have not existed at all because you've stepped straight through it.' Her eyes linger on mine for a fraction of a second and then they flick away and she gets up off the couch, her demeanour changing as she avoids eye contact. 'I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kissed you. I've had a few glasses of wine – I didn't know what I was doing.'

She walks over to the sink and hastily pours herself a glass of water, which she takes gulps from. Putting the glass down, she inhales deeply, before turning to me, her eyes blinking rapidly in an attempt to regain composure. They flit all over my body, but not once do they lock onto my eyes. 'You can go now.'

'Tyga-'

'Just go. Please.'

Her eyes stare just below mine, her face sour, as though she was looking at a stain on an otherwise clean canvas. I'm about to argue but the Tyga I'm seeing now is not the same one person who was crying a few moments ago. I stand up off the couch and walk to the door. Before I leave, I turn back to Tyga making sure I get a moment of eye contact. In that one glance, I see the fragile girl creep back inside her prison, and I shut the door behind me.

* * *

Days go by before I see Tyga again – weeks. Almost everyday I visit her, but my knocks on her door go unanswered. I've checked with Tobi – she hasn't gone to the Capitol. She's just avoiding me. I can't work out her angle; she can't just dodge around me forever. And yet, she's making every effort to do this. The next time I see her is November 4th, over three weeks since she kissed me.

We're required to be in the Justice Building by 10am – today's the day the Victory Tour visits District 5 and the memories of several months ago flood back. It'll probably be slightly more upbeat than usual – an outlying District won and they tend to get a more genuine reception than the Career districts. And a District such as District 11 very rarely wins.

It's cold today, and the sky is even threatening to snow, a blanket of white up above. The wind is strong as well, so it was necessary to wrap up warm. The Justice Building isn't warm, but it's a welcome change from the frozen temperatures of outside. There's a collection of people milling about the room – the Mayor, a few Capitol officials, some high ranking District 5 politicians, Decimus, Tobi – but only one person catches my eye. She hasn't noticed I've arrived I don't think. Neither has Decimus thankfully, which means I can beeline towards Tyga without interruption.

I'm two metres away when she first notices me, and her face rushes with harsh guilt. Her hair is tied neatly up into a bun, and she wears a purple satin dress. Make-up adorns her features, but it has been applied with a lot less volume than usual – probably because she did it herself, as opposed to her prep team.

'Oh, Connor, I- uhh hi.'

'Why have you been avoiding me?' I cut to the chase.

Her eyes shift to her figure and she tries to brush non-existent dust of her dress. 'Oh, what do you mean? I haven't- I haven't been avoiding you.' Her eyes stay on her fabric, as her hands dart across it, in an attempt to busy themselves.

'I knocked on your door. Nearly everyday.'

'Oh, well – I was at Tobi's for the afternoon yesterday – you must've just missed me. And then I was poorly for a few days last week. Nothing bad – just not fit to receive, you know? And of course there was Eve's wedding. That had me gone for two days. It was right over the other side of town. She used to live next to me. Sweet girl, Eve – only seventeen though. So young to get married, but love is love, you know? And a lovely man, you might know-'

'Who do you think you're kidding?' I interrupt, and Tyga finally makes eye contact. 'Let's go somewhere quiet.'

I see Tyga's face relax into acceptance, as she follows me to one of the other rooms of the Justice Building. Chaff and the District 11 team shouldn't be here for a while, so hopefully our disappearance will go unnoticed for long enough for me to say what I have to say. We find a room – a waiting room, by the looks of things, and shut the door behind us.

'Do you want to explain to me what's going on?' I ask Tyga.

'No,' she replies, catching my eye, 'But I guess I don't really have much choice.'

She separates away from me, turning her head and pacing round the room. She's done a full circuit before she speaks.

'Look, what I did – it was stupid and crazy; I was vulnerable and weak and you caught me off-guard. I've replayed that moment a thousand times over in my head and I just can't work it out. Because the thing is – I don't regret it. Not at all. Kissing you, I mean. I keep trying to find some way to convince myself that it was a bad decision and it shouldn't have happened, but for the first time since I won, I actually did something for _me_. Not for the cameras, not for the good of the District, but for _me_. And it felt so right.'

She continues to pace the room, rarely making eye contact with me. Her eyes are buried deep under her eyelashes as she lets her whole mind spill out of her mouth.

'But that's the problem, Connor. It was just a moment. And it can't be anything more. The way my life has played out – the way the Capitol makes me live – well, it's not fit for a relationship. And it's not like I could keep something like this under the radar. You think the Capitol won't find out if two of its Victors are dating? Look, it was just a kiss and nothing else. Just a stupid kiss.'

'So, why were you pushing me away?' I ask and Tyga walks up to me, until we're just about a foot apart, and examines my suit, in an attempt to be distracted from the situation.

'When you're around me, it's like – I dunno – I just get all these feelings, all these emotions, and I don't know what to do with them. Because I _can't_ do anything with them. I can't let it become something. But you break down my barriers. Like now, I want to run and hide, but at the same time I want to wrap my arms around you and never let you go.'

Her voice is soft and timid now, like she's accepted that she cannot fight her feelings.

'I just...don't know what to do. My future's collapsing in front of me and I just refuse to bring you down with me.'

'Except that's not your decision. It's mine.'

And this time it's me who closes the gap between our lips. The kiss screams with guilt, but I've made up my mind and so has Tyga. We're in this together. Our lips part very briefly, but long enough for me to whisper 'Our little secret.'

I feel Tyga's smile under her lips, and a tiny laugh escapes her. As my emotions are unchained, running wildly through my head, it takes me a minute to recognise Decimus' voice.

'There you are! Honestly we've- oh.' Opening our eyes, and moving our heads apart, we both look towards the startled Decimus that stands in the doorway. 'Oh, well I- maybe, I'll just. Okay. Yes, right. I- yes. I think I'll go. Right. Okay.'

He shuffles out of view, the door creaks to a close behind him and Tyga speaks.

'So much for _our little secret_.'

* * *

A/N: Hey, so I decided I'd give you two chapters this week - thanks for being so patient! So, yeah - those two chapters were very much about Tyga and Connor's relationship and were quite important to the overall story, so I hope you enjoyed them. I haven't really written any aspect of romance before, so your reviews would really help a lot - what went well, what could be improved etc. Next chapter we skip forward a few months because I want to progress the story forward. By the way - not so prominent in this chapter - but I'm aware, with a story like this, it can be hard to follow the characters - so if you ever get confused or want me to try and explain more about who a person is, just let me know in the reviews. So, yeah - as always, I love your reviews! :)


	19. Chapter 19

-_March 26__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

It's that day again. The day I hate – the day that annually reminds me of how my life isn't going to be getting better anytime soon. I am of course referring to the day of the Reaping.

It feels like mere weeks since the last time I had to go through this ordeal. Of course, it's not. In fact, it's been quite eventful, this past year. For one thing, Tyga and myself are an item now. Not publicly, of course. We can't risk that. The only people who know are Decimus (who we managed to convince to keep quiet about the matter), Tobi and Tristan. Pura hasn't officially been told, but she's not stupid and I think she's figured it out. Also Tabs visited, and Tyga tells me that she thinks her sister knew the second she laid eyes on us.

It hasn't been easy – creeping around town. Not that anyone pays us much attention – the last time we saw the cameras was last year's Victory Tour. But, we can't be too careful. A casual relationship could get Tyga and I in serious trouble. It's worth it though, to have someone to confide in, someone who knows your deepest, darkest secrets and refuses to judge you for them. Someone who doesn't care about your past because they want to be part of your future. It's nice.

When Tyga got called to the Capitol at the start of December, it felt like my heart had been ripped out. I wanted to strangle the Peacekeepers who escorted her to the train. She was there for two weeks and it was crippling, but I'm a Victor – I've learnt how to be strong. At least, I'm _learning_.

I'll admit that our relationship went through a rough week after her return, especially with one suggestion she'd made. I couldn't believe that she'd suggest such an awful thing. _Connor_, she'd said, _do you ever worry about Pura? In the Reaping, I mean_. It hadn't been a thought that had crossed my mind since the last Games. I don't know, I guess I'd kind of assumed that I didn't have to worry about her. _It's that...well, you must have seen how regularly members of Victors' families get reaped_, she'd continued, _It happens way too regularly for it to be pure fluke. They make it happen, Connor. The Capitol. It creates more interest._

It had taken me a few minutes to digest this. Would the Capitol really go out of their way to damage people they've already got full control of? _Well, there is a way...to keep Pura safe. Sort of damage management._ I remember she'd spoken so nervously that I could barely hear her, but she was keeping a straight face. _Most Victors do it. We hire...volunteers._ I hadn't understood. I asked her what she'd meant. _Well, there's a fair few people in the District who don't have all that much money. What we do...we...well, you can help them out. You find a child from one of these families – someone who's still in the Reaping...and...and...well, I mean, they could do with the money...it's a good thing really...and the chances- _At this point I'd interrupted her, demanding she tell me what she meant. She'd lowered her voice to barely a whisper. _We...we pay them to volunteer._

I'd just stared at her, stunned that she'd even suggest such a thing. Paying someone to volunteer for Pura? Is that what she was honestly suggesting? I'd been furious. _Oh come on, Connor! It's not that bad – they need the money! And chances are, Pura wouldn't even get reaped anyway!_ These words that were coming from Tyga's lips – I couldn't believe it. I'd shouted at her. Told her it was disgusting – that even suggesting such a thing made her as bad as the Capitol. But then she pulled out the final arrow in her quiver and what she said next cut a gash as deep as a knife. _Okay, Connor. Call me disgusting. But, tell me this – could you honestly sit there and watch your sister die in the Games knowing that you could have stopped it? Because I don't think you could. _And then she'd looked me in the eye, and walked out the room.

I'd wanted to puke, there and then. But I didn't. Instead, I walked to the poorer side of the District, found a family with a girl of about fifteen, and paid her to volunteer for Pura if the time came. It was when I returned home that I puked.

And now, here I am. Maybe today I'll see the result of the monster I've become. Maybe Pura will be reaped. Maybe the girl will volunteer. And then maybe I'll hate myself even more than I already do. I'm sitting on the stage, Tyga to my right, Tobi to my left. Technically, Tobi could be this year's mentor if he wanted to – I've done my mandatory first year – but there's no way I'd make him endure what would be his nineteenth year of mentoring. No, he's just here because he has to be. Decimus is at the microphone, about to announce this year's tributes. I breathe shakily.

'So, who will get the honour of being this year's tributes?' he asks the audience rhetorically with a grin. I'm sure he can't genuinely believe this is an honour. But, I guess it's just his job. 'Well, we're about to find out! Now, you know how this works by now – ladies first!'

He struts over to one of the bowls. I can't focus properly. It won't be Pura. It won't be Pura. It might be Pura. It won't be Pura.

'Circe Delmont!' Decimus calls.

A sea of relieved seventeen year olds part as Circe steps away from the crowd. She's attractive, with thick black hair, and lightly tanned skin. This should help her – I'm sure Surius will manage to work his magic with her. Her face is stunned, but she's retained composure and I don't think her face shows signs of tears. As she gets closer, a vague wave of recognition crosses me. I think she went to my school, but I'm not sure.

Decimus trots over to the second bowl, full of pieces of paper with boy's names. It's in this second that I suddenly remember Kennedy. It's his last year – what if he's picked?

'Vice Taybridge!'

I recognise Vice as the fifteen year old boys let him through. He was one of Joe's group of friends at school. Not that he was a major player in Joe's taunting of the other students, but he was always there in the background. Dark wavy brown hair stops at the neck, tucked behind his ears. His face has a hooked nose and eyes that dart from face to face in the crowd. He's one of those boys who likes to think he's older than he is. I think he used to go drinking with Joe and his mates sometimes. As he arrives on stage, Decimus once again returns to the microphone.

'Ladies and gentlemen, your tributes for the 46th Annual Hunger Games, Circe Delmont and Vice Taybridge!'

The pair shake hands and Decimus ushers them into the Justice Building. The old wooden doors shut behind them with a slam. I'm shocked when my first thought is that I hope their deaths are quick. Have I really given up faith that we could have another winner that quickly? We say goodbye to Tobi and hop into the train. When Decimus arrives in the train a few minutes later, he's despicably cheery.

'Not a tear shed between them,' he remarks, 'I think we have a pair of fighters this year!'

I ignore the possible undertones that Daley and Savannah weren't fighters, and try to place my head into a strategic thought process. 'I think Surius will manage to make Circe something to remember.'

'My thoughts exactly! I hear Cassia and him have got some treats in store this year!'

'How are the other tributes looking?' Tyga asks.

'Well, the Careers are looking strong as expected. Nothing particularly threatening from 3 – the boy's 14 and the girl's 13, so I don't see them being too problematic, and the other Districts have yet to complete their Reapings.'

We spend the next half an hour discussing positives about Circe and Vice, interspersed with long breaks of silence, as we sit around an already laid lunch table. During this time the train leaves the station, and my mind is lost out the window until Decimus brings the two tributes in from the other carriage.

'-now, remember to listen to what these two say.' Decimus warbles as he brings in Circe and Vice. He was right – they haven't shed a tear. They seem remarkably unfazed actually. 'I'm sure you're aware of who these people are, but in case you're not – this is Tyga Redlake, victor of the 42nd Hunger Games, and this is Connor Jedd, victor of the 44th Hunger Games.'

It's amazing how I'm still not accustomed to being referred to as _victor of the 44__th__ Hunger Games_.

'Now, obviously, these two are young victors, but do not underestimate the value of their advice. They have both won this before. Now, I understand that this may be all a bit confusing for you but-'

'We want to join the Career pack.' Circe interrupts.

'Wh-what?' Tyga stutters.

'We've talked about it, and we want to join the Careers.' Vice adds.

'I...see,' Decimus says, a hand to his throat in surprise, 'Well, I can't say I've ever experienced this before. Such...eagerness'

'They basically always win,' Circe says – she really looks completely unaffected by the reality of this situation, 'And we reckon we have the skills to at least try.'

'It's not just about having the skills,' Tyga replies, her head looks downwards, she seems totally confused by this situation, 'You've got to have the mindset. They're raised on the foundation of murder like this being justified for glory – especially in 2.'

'They've got statistics on their side, remember,' Decimus interjects, 'Two of the last four winners have been from District 5.'

'So, these skills you said you had?' Tyga asks wearily.

'I'm good with a knife.' Vice replies.

If this is true, I think I know where he learnt this. There were rumours around school that Joe and his mates used to sometimes have knife fights behind the factories. I guess perhaps the rumours were true.

'How good?' Tyga asks suspiciously.

'Very good.' Vice replies, allowing a smug smile to creep onto his lips.

Suddenly with no warning, Tyga's hand grabs something from the table and a blunt butterknife rebounds off Vice's shoulder. Decimus shrieks.

'What the hell was that for?!' Vice cries, rubbing his shoulder.

'One hit like that and you'd be on the floor,' Tyga replies, 'Another and you'd be dead. Don't overestimate your abilities. A knife was my weapon of choice, but a Career will have two, three, maybe even four choice weapons. You've got to keep your guard up.' Her gaze shifts to Circe. 'What about you?'

'I can use knives as well, and an axe.'

I watch as Tyga mulls this over. When she eventually speaks again, it's directed at me. 'What do you think, Connor?'

'I think...if the Careers are willing to accept them then they can try. But having eight people in an alliance would be a pretty big risk to take. That's a third of all the tributes in one alliance. I don't think the Careers would be up for that. If you want to get in, you're going to have to make yourselves more appealing than the other Careers.'

'I think we could do that,' Vice replies, 'I like a challenge.'

'Well, there we go then,' Decimus gets to his feet, 'It seems District 5 will be joining the Careers this year!'

* * *

A/N: So yeah, a bit of a time gap since the last one - hope that's alright :) With a story spanning as long as this one will, there may be a few large time leaps, but hopefully that won't affect the strength of the story, but let me know what you think! So, as always - please review!


	20. Chapter 20

-_March 27__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

The crowds roar as two stallions pull the first chariot into the streets of the Capitol. District 1, a pair of tall blonde eighteen year-olds, wear robes of silk and cashmere that fly behind them for several metres. The screams of the audience do not cease as District 2 roll in. All around me are Capitol citizens in this private box. There are, however, the other mentors scattered throughout the crowd. Vira and Surge who sit several rows in front of us whoop in appreciation as District 3 come out, with outfits that spark blue static from all over.

District 4 appear, the girl wearing a long flowing dress like the sea, and the boy in sandy colours like a beach. And mere seconds after they're rolling down the streets, Circe and Vice appear behind them. They both have large mechanical wings – supposedly this symbolised the wind turbines in the District – it's dubious, but it looks pretty and that's all that matters to these people. The crowds roar.

The tributes have faded into the distance alarmingly quickly, and it's not long before Tyga and I return to meet our tributes. They have yet to arrive but Surius, Cassia and Decimus, plus the two prep teams are gleefully buzzing around.

'What did you think?' Cassia beams.

'It was wonderful!' Tyga replies with a grin.

Decimus is furiously tapping away at his circular computer device, before he smiles at us. 'District 3 and 5 were the highlights!'

We don't have time to reply, because our conversation has been interrupted by the sound of two dozen horses pulling into the building. The District 5 carriage seemingly manages to find itself to us. I wonder if the horses have been somehow modified to know their route so well. Cautiously, the two tributes step off the chariot, Circe almost hitting Vice in the face with a wing.

'I think they liked us!' she says cheerfully. 'There were so many people!'

'There's upwards of 100,000 people with tickets to get a glimpse of you in that chariot!' Cassia says, her lilac eyes squinting with glee. 'And many, _many_ more will be watching at home!'

'Can we get these off now?' Vice asks gruffly, gesturing to the giant metal feathers that spurt from his back and ignoring the happiness of the others, 'They weigh a tonne.'

'Unfortunately, that's a job for upstairs – kind of a one-time thing, these outfits,' Surius says, 'We'll need wire cutters.'

We stroll towards the elevator, Vice looking fairly self-conscious in his bold outfit, but Circe seemingly unfazed. It becomes apparent very quickly that, with the scale of the wings, we are not all going to fit into one elevator. Vice, Circe and the stylists fit in, and there's just enough of a space for Decimus to squeeze into, but Tyga and I will be taking the next elevator. As the doors close shut, Tyga and I are left waiting for the next one to arrive. It's not long before it announces its arrival with a _ding_. We step inside and the doors begin to hiss shut.

'Wait! Hold the doors!'

I jam my foot in between the closing doors and, detecting it, they slide back open. A skinny man dashes into the elevator. He's clearly a Capitol citizen, but his style is much less...severe than any of the stylists here. He wears a very dark green suit – almost black – and an evergreen shirt underneath. Under the shirt's collar is a white tie, with light green embroidery. His hair is black, with bold streaks of green in a fringe that is styled into a small silky quiff.

'Thank you,' he says, straightening out his suit. 'Floor 4 please. One of the tributes from 4 thought it would be an appropriate move to try and smuggle a knife into the arena – I'm here to inform him otherwise.'

His figure is skinny and of average height, and I'd guess his age at around forty, though with all the surgeries available, a person's age is often hard to guess in the Capitol. He has no clear makeup on, but his eyebrows are dyed bottle green and there's something unnaturally sharp about the hazel in his eyes. The doors hiss shut.

'My name is Ornlu Snyde,' he says with a sour smile, 'And of course I know who you are. Everybody knows who you two are, Mr. Jedd, Miss Redlake.'

'I suppose they do.' I'm not particularly familiar with people talking in elevators. I thought there was a sort of silent code that you kept to yourself on the elevator journey. Perhaps it's a Capitol thing.

'I've seen you in Snow's box. You're one of his men.' Tyga says.

'I'm a lot more than _one of his men_, but yes, that's somewhat vague, but essentially accurate. And speaking of the great man, it's come to his attention that you two are-' he appears to search for the word, though I'm sure this is just for effect. '-involved.'

An icy river suddenly runs through me. How can Snow know? Hadn't we been so very careful? Where did we slip up? It's Tyga who replies to Snyde.

'Somewhat vague, but essentially accurate.' she says, mirroring his words.

His mouth twists into what is possibly a smirk and his eyes flick to the elevator doors. 'Well, I hope it doesn't interfere with your work.'

'It won't.'

'Good.' I feel the elevator come to a halt as we hit floor 4, and Snyde keeps his golden eyes locked on the doors. 'I'd hate for us to have to...intervene.'

The doors slide open and he doesn't even give us so much as a glance as he leaves. In fact, all he leaves us with is silence. Cold, venomous, deadly silence.

The silence isn't broken until we arrive at Floor 5, at which point Tyga and I, through some unspoken agreement, walk straight past the occupants of the floor and beeline for Tyga's room. I hear a few confused comments from Decimus and Cassia, but no one stops us – perhaps they sense the urgency. When we're both inside Tyga's plush quarters, she bolts the door behind her.

'How can he know?!' she cries.

'Keep you voice down!' I hiss.

'But we did everything – _everything_!' Her voice has quietened, but not significantly.

'Maybe Decimus mentioned it?'

'Surely he knows how important it was that this is kept a secret!' She's frantically pacing around the room. 'He's done damage management before – for all Decimus' flaws, he knows how the Capitol society works. No, I'm sure he wouldn't let something like this get out – at least not without a full risk assessment.'

'Maybe...I dunno – maybe a peacekeeper saw us?'

'Maybe. But the risks for reporting something like that and then finding out it was misinformation could be drastic.'

'Well, then – what?'

Tyga sinks onto the bed, wiping a bead of sweat off her forehead. Her face opens a window into the panic blooming in her mind, and suddenly her eyes widen. 'Follow me.'

She unbolts the door, and again we dart through the main quarters.

'Excuse me, Tyga and Connor!' Decimus says, his voice sharp and flustered, 'I think now is a bit of an inappropriate time to be deserting the team, don't you?'

Tyga ignores Decimus, but I reply. 'Sorry Decimus, we'll be back in a minute.'

He purses his lips the way a man who had always had control but suddenly lost it would, and we return into the elevator. Tyga punches a button that I hadn't noticed before. Above the button for Floor 12, there is a half-button with the letter 'R' on it. When the doors open, I take a guess that the 'R' stands for 'Roof'. The roof has a beautiful garden on it, but my intention is entirely on Tyga as we walk to the edge of the floor.

'Cameras!' she cries, 'Cameras in our houses in the Victor's Village!'

'That's how they knew!' I curse under my breath – we were foolish to think our houses built under Capitol instruction would be safe from Snow's grasp.

'There aren't any cameras up here. At least, there probably aren't. Where would they position them?'

'How do you know about this place?' I ask, looking out upon the beautiful skyline of the Capitol.

'I came up here whilst I was training for my Games. Discovered it one night when I couldn't sleep. I'm surprised I didn't jump to be honest, but Tobi told me it has a forcefield around it anyway – so I couldn't even if I'd tried. The way he said it – I guess I wasn't the first to ask about it.'

Together we stare out upon the Capitol skyline, a jagged view of skyscrapers and monuments. Lights beam from the buildings like tiny fireflies, but the sky is cloudy, hiding the moon.

'It's amazing how people who built a place so beautiful can use those same skills to cause so much tragedy.' I comment. Tyga nods her head, and I plant a kiss on her cheek. It's sometime before we speak again.

'We'll have to be careful,' I say, 'You heard Snyde. We step out of line and people are going to get hurt.'

Suddenly my mind rushes with a blur of what could have already happened. Pura, Tristan – are they both okay? And Tabs, Kennedy, Shay – it's only now that I realise how many weapons the Capitol has aimed at us. Five people. It wouldn't be hard to reduce that to four if we kiss in public. Three if Tyga doesn't perform well. Two if I step out of line once. And before we know it, everyone we love will be gone and we'll be alone.

All alone in the Hunger Games.

* * *

A/N: So, there we go! I wanted to introduce this element of the plotline, because I didn't want this year's Games to be the same as last year's but with different tributes otherwise, in a story like this, it's going to become very repetitive. So, yeah - let me know what you think in the reviews - who do you like/dislike? Are we gonna have a Victor this year? Let me know - and thanks for sticking by me for all the 20 chapters of this story so far!


	21. Chapter 21

-_March 29__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

'District 4 are definitely the weakest,' Circe says between mouthfuls, 'I've been watching them. Don't get me wrong – they're not bad by any standards, but they're definitely the targets we should take out if we want to get in with the Careers.'

'When you say _take out_ – does that mean kill?' Decimus asks from across the table, before taking a sip of purple liquid from a crystal glass.

'Yes.' Vice says.

'No,' Circe shoots back, 'Unless we have to. It'd be far easier to get them to accept us into their alliance _now_, and leave District 4 as enemies of the Careers like every other district.'

'But, in the arena-' Vice continues.

'Yes. We'll kill them if we have to in the arena.' Circe rolls her eyes.

'I hope you understand what being a Career means.' Vice mumbles under his breath.

'Okay, so we'll have to take out 4,' Tyga says, 'I think Decimus, you could help with that.'

'Absolutely,' Decimus says matter-of-factly, 'Slightly...underhand tactics, but we could probably knock them down a peg or two if we wanted too.'

'In terms of escorts, Decimus is pretty much an A-list now,' Tyga addresses the table, 'With two Victors in four years, he's pretty much the envy of every escort. He's too humble to say it, but he's quite the figure of importance in the Games!' He's not too humble to say it. We all know this. But at least this way, we're spared the melodramatic Decimus version of events. 'And District 4 haven't had a Victor in, what, a decade?'

'Longer than that,' Decimus says, 'Their last was the 35th Games.'

'Exactly! Surely Decimus can spread some bad press about District 4.'

'Ooh!' I suddenly remember, 'That guy – whatshisface...Snyde! He said one of the tributes was trying to smuggle a knife into the arena, but Snyde was gonna tell him otherwise. Can you use that?'

'Hmm...' Decimus contemplates this. 'You spoke to Ornlu Snyde? Well, if he's speaking about it, it must have some truth to it, although it's probably best if we don't share that he was the one to tell you. No, definitely not. But I'm sure we could spread something about the District 4 tribute trying to cheat. That doesn't always bring completely negative press – sometimes people like a rebel – but it should do more bad than good. I'll look into it.'

As the remainder of the meal goes on, I try to place a face to the District 4 mentors. I think the woman was an older Victor, but that's as far as my recollection of either goes unfortunately. During the conversation, Decimus mentions the names of the tributes, Finn and Delphy, who are apparently both seventeen. From the sounds of it, Circe and Vice have made them out to be weaker competition than they actually are and I fear that they may be underestimating them.

When we eventually leave the dinner table, we promptly retreat to our bedrooms. Tomorrow we'll see the training scores and this could be the last impression Circe and Vice get to leave on the Careers before they decide if they want them as allies or not. Tyga says that it's most likely that, now the Careers know that Circe and Vice want to join them, they'll make the decision about whether they want them as allies or not at the Cornucopia. With these thoughts plaguing by mind, I try to get some sleep.

* * *

A 4 fades away from the screen, along with the picture of the 13-year old girl, as Caesar Flickerman finishes announcing District 3's training scores. The Careers' scores were unsurprisingly high – 9s for District 1, 10s for District 2. Now we await the scores from 4. These, as much as Circe and Vice's own scores will shape District 5's future in the arena.

The boy, Finn, is first to appear. An 8 pops up next to his face, followed by an uneasy murmur around the District 5 quarters. The murmur turns closer to a groan as the girl, Delphy, replaces Finn on the screen, and equals his score of 8.

'Let's hope you've done us proud...' Decimus mutters. He's not a good confidence-booster.

Vice appears on the screen, and an 8 flashes next to his face. A round of applause from the room, but it has an edge of unease about it. I feel Circe squirm next to me as she realises that the fate of District 5's Games may rest on her score. Vice's face fades away on the screen and Circe replaces him.

She scores a 9. The reaction is not so much one of happiness, as it is relief, but we all get to our feet and clap the two tributes' scores.

'It's gonna be tight,' Tyga says, 'There's only the interviews left – for God's sake, we better make them count. With such close scores, the Careers could still swing either way.'

* * *

'Ladies and gentlemen, the gorgeous Circe Delmont!'

Caesar holds Circe's hand up high and, with a beaming smile, she leaves the stage. Her dress is black, tight and seductive. It had been totally against Tyga's wishes that Circe took the 'sexy' approach but, as her survival in the Games was hanging in the balance, Tyga reluctantly agreed to make the most of Circe's natural assets. According to Decimus, Vice's angle is to be cocky, but charming. He can do cocky – that's a given. But, charming? Well, he'll have to be a good actor, that's for sure.

'You did great!' Decimus says, grinning at Circe.

Tyga smiles, but it is somewhat sour – conflicted about the incredibly successful sex appeal Circe produced. 'I reckon, going on that, you're in the Careers, but there's still Vice...'

'And moving swiftly on!' Caesar cries, 'Also from District 5 – Vice Taybridge!'

Vice steps onto the stage, wearing a black suit, with a grey shirt. I was worried about it looking too funeral-esque, but Decimus told me that wearing black to funerals is not something the Capitol practiced. Caesar greets Vice and they both seat themselves opposite each other.

'Vice Taybridge, welcome, welcome!' Caesar says, white teeth beaming at the fifteen year old. 'So, how are you finding the Capitol?'

'Oh, it's very different to back home. But, a good kind of different.' Vice smiles a "charming" smile (it's not in any way charming, but according to Decimus, this was the smile they'd practiced for his charming side).

'Well, that's good to hear!' Caesar chuckles lightly. 'Now, we saw last night that you got an impressive score in training – an eight, ladies and gentlemen!' Applause. 'How did you achieve that?'

'Well now Caesar, surely that would be telling! But, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, I'll say that much.'

He's doing well. Not giving anything away, being as charming as a boy that uncharming could possibly be, seeming secretively strong – it's all going right. And then Caesar asks him this:

'But, of course, we've had surprisingly high scores from many tributes this year. Obviously, the skilled District 1 and 2 tributes, and of course, District 4. How do you think you'll compete against strong tributes like them?'

'I dunno,' He says, 'Maybe I'll just take a leaf out of District 4's book, and take a knife with me into the arena.'

What.

Caesar laughs slightly, confused as to whether this is a joke or not. 'I'm sorry? I'm not sure I understand.'

'Well, Caesar,' Vice smirks, 'From what I've heard, one of our friends from District 4 has been planning on taking a knife into the arena with them as a token.'

What. No.

Caesar is puzzled and he hides it well, but you can see the mild worry in his eyes. 'And what makes you think this?'

'Well, maybe I wasn't supposed to hear it. But, you could understand my confusion when I heard the President's assistant – Ornlu Snyde I think his name was – talking about it?' He smiles manipulatively. 'I don't know, maybe I'm just gullible.'

And there. He's done it. My palms ooze sweat and my blood has turned to ice. This can't be happening. Not only has Vice just made public a piece of private information. Not only has he just named and shamed one of President Snow's assistants. Not only has he just announced to Snow that District 5 is untrustworthy. But on top of all of that, without even knowing it, he's just ripped apart mine and Tyga's existence.

* * *

A/N: So, I hope you liked that! :) Let me know what you think's going to happen next, what you think of this year's tributes, who you like/dislike, and anything else in the reviews! Honestly, I know I say it a lot, but the reviews REALLY do inspire me to write more. Anyway, I'll see you guys again next week! :)


	22. Chapter 22

-_March 31__st__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

My blood is ice, shifting around my body – each heartbeat sending tremors to my brain. I turn to Tyga, her jaw is locked and her face's colour is draining. Even Decimus looks horrified. Circe is the only one to have any form of composure when Vice leaves the stage, grinning. Before any of us get a chance, Decimus speaks – his lips pursed.

'We're going upstairs.'

We manage to maintain our composure for the elevator ride, but once we reach our floor, we explode.

'WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!' Tyga screams at Vice, who is noticeably shocked but is standing his ground.

'Oh this is not good – not, not, not good.' Decimus mutters, pacing the room.

'DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU'VE DONE?!' Tyga continues.

'Look, I think you're overreact-' Vice begins before I cut him off.

'Overreacting? Do you not understand what you've just done?! You've thrown this whole team into jeopardy – every single one of us, which, by the way, includes you! That information was confidential! You do not – DO NOT – just go around spreading any information that gets fed to you!'

'On live TV as well!' Decimus interjects.

'You've publicly named and shamed one of Snow's staff in front of everyone! And they'll know where you got that information! And that'll lead them right back to me, and Tyga, and Decimus!'

'And why would I care about that?' Vice spits.

'Because – in case you've forgotten – we are your mentors; we will be controlling your feed from sponsors, and if we're preoccupied with fighting off Snow's men then we might just happen to be busy when you're bleeding to death and need medicine quickly!'

That temporarily shut him up, but the silence is soon interrupted by a shellshocked Circe darting into her room. Decimus gives us a look before following the girl into her bedroom to try and comfort her. I doubt this will work – Decimus is not the comforting type, but I am too furious to care about that now.

'Except it's not really about that, is it?' Vice says, his voice sharp and deadly, 'There's something a bit deeper here going on – it's not the fact that Snow's found out you shared that information, is it? It's something else. Something...personal.'

He smirks and his eyes glint with an emotion that almost reminds me of greed.

'Such as what?' Tyga questions, her voice matching Vice's venom.

'Such as the fact that you two are together.' Silence. 'Oh, sounds like I'm right.'

'How the hell could you possibly know that?' I ask him angrily. There is no way he could've known.

'I'm a...good judge of character. But, to be honest, it was just a guess – but that response appears to have, without a doubt, proved that it was accurate.'

He folds his arms, having already crowned himself Victor of this argument, but continues anyway.

'And don't try to pretend like you can do anything about this. You're not going to stop sending parachutes and let me die. Because, you see, I'm not as stupid as you two – I've made an alliance with Circe – we're in it together 'til the end. So, if you don't send us any parachutes, you're not just killing me – you're killing Circe too. I've seen you around school, Connor, and I don't know much about how you operate, but I think I know you well enough to know you won't let her die.'

He's got me. And when he leaves us with a smirk and walks to his bedroom, there is nothing I can do but hope Circe outlives that bastard.

* * *

I've had my fair share of awkward silences, but breakfast this morning was like someone had turned the air to ice. From what I've caught of Circe's mood, she seems totally focused. She told me that she's focusing on what she has to do and it's keeping her distracted from what could happen. But obviously Circe wasn't the problem.

The morning went by quickly, as it always does, and now I'm taking the elevator down to the mentoring rooms, Tyga by my side, as we await the beginning of the 46th Games. Unlike last year, there was no speech from a Capitol attendant aside from the mandatory wish of good luck. It dawned on me late last night that we'll probably have to work closely with Brutus, Miami and Green over the next week or two, which doesn't fill me with joy. But realising this, we decide to go back to Room 3, like last year, hoping to spend the first few hours with people we like.

When we arrive in the room, Vira and Surge are present, along with Glynn and Woof from District 8. This is the first time I've seen Glynn since we met on the Victory Tour and she spoke to me about Melissa, and I only recognise Woof from TV. The majority of the multiple screens are currently locked on the Cornucopia which appears to be in a large clearing of a tropical rainforest.

'Hey,' Surge says softly as we enter.

'Let's get this over with,' Tyga says, sighing as she takes a drink from the cabinet.

'This is Glynn and Woof, from District 8,' Surge says, gesturing to the other residents of the room, 'I don't know if you've met.'

'Yeah, Connor and I met on the Victor Tour, briefly.' Glynn says. She's in her late twenties, with dark skin, and dark chocolate hair that runs down her back in a braid. Her features are dark, with thick eyebrows and she seems worn, but attractive. 'I dunno if he's met Woof'

Woof just sort of shrugs. He's maybe about fifty, but that's considered old in terms of Victors. A brief amount of small talk ensues, but before long Vira points out that the first tributes are rising into the arena. My heart starts racing. I'm slightly shaking, but I can't afford to lose focus. I just can't help thinking how Ace and I survived the bloodbath, and then Daley and Savannah did too – surely it's time for one of District 5 to die in it? I push those thoughts to the back of my mind and steady myself on a table. Tyga puts her hand on my shoulder and gives me a smile. The tension immediately eases.

The countdown begins and the six pairs of eyes in the room are all locked onto the central, largest screen, which shows the footage feeding live across Panem. The camera pans around the tributes as Caesar quickly names them and their District. I see Circe is breathing deeply, focusing, and Vice has his eyes targeting the large horn of supplies.

The countdown hits ten and Caesar stops speaking, as the room goes silent. I can hear every breath that each one of us takes. I can feel each heartbeat send earthquakes through my body.

3...2...1...

The tributes fly off their podiums and the Cornucopia battle begins. Tributes are grabbing weapons and the greenery around the metal horn is a blur of fabric, flesh, metal and blood. Glynn and Woof cry out as the District 8 girl gets a knife to the throat from the District 2 boy. My heart suddenly races as I realise I can't see Circe or Vice. I scan across the screens, desperate to find them in the raging battle. My eyes clock a screen which highlights whose still alive. The boys from District 6, 7 and 12 are dead, plus the girl from 8.

'Where are they?!' I cry.

Tyga points to one of the screens and I watch as Circe slices a knife into the District 9 girl's heart. It's an indescribably feeling, seeing this girl killing. She's doing what she has to do, but even among the blood I can see tears in her eyes. But, she's focused. And that's the important thing. Vira and Surge cry out as one of their tributes, I'm not sure which, presumably dies.

I find Vice on a screen, and he's grabbed a sword from the Cornucopia. Before I know it, he's plunged it through Delphy's back, killing the District 4 girl and splattering his face with blood. As much as hate Vice, he's just made a vital move in his and Circe's survival. We need the District 4 competition to be eliminated, and he's just done 50% of that job.

The Cornucopia is started to clear now. At least half of the tributes have either been killed or escaped. I risk looking back up at the display of who's died as my heart pounds. Since my last look, another 5 lives have been claimed – the boy from 3, Delphy from 4, the girl from 9, plus both from 10. I look back to the screen and I see Vice speaking to the District 1 boy in the midst of battle. The boy nods and suddenly they're back-to-back fighting together. He's joined the Careers.

As the last of the survivors leave the Cornucopia, Circe flings an axe across the battlefield and, in a horrific blast of blood, Finn is dead. They've eliminated the competition, and now they're in the Careers. Mission accomplished. For now.

* * *

A/N: So, what did you think of that? I hope it didn't feel like the ending was cut short - I just want to spread out the action :) So, yeah, let me know in the reviews what you think! Thanks so much for sticking with and continuing to support me and this story! Much love!


	23. Chapter 23

-_April 1__st__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

We left it as long as we could before moving to Room 1, but eventually Tyga and I had to go and join the District 1 and 2 mentors. Which means I'm now sat in the same room as Miami, Green, Brutus and the District 2 female Victor whose name I have yet to be told as she made no effort to introduce herself. As part of the Career mentors, we have a lot more of a job to do. In fact, it seems every fifteen minutes one of the six of us is sending a parachute down to our group.

I've learnt the other Career tributes' names. The District 2 pair are called Hermes and Lena. As per usual, the District 1 names provided entertainment for me – Lux and Symphony. Lux is the boy. I think. However, that's the only entertainment I've received as conversation is hardly flowing. The room seems fairly reluctant to accept either Tyga or me and, when I realise that cold-hearted Miami is actually the friendliest person here, I know it's not going to be a fun experience.

Tyga appears even less comfortable than me, possibly because Miami takes multiple cheap shots at her throughout the day. But, this is still a new experience for her too – she stopped being my mentor a long time ago.

'Quite a pair of fighters you've got there.' Miami says. Her face seems to bare a constant smirk.

'I guess so to get into your lot.' I reply.

'Well, we only accept the best.' It's said playfully, but there's an air of caution to it. 'But, really – a 9 and an 8 are nothing to joke about.'

'Perhaps not for you.' Brutus interjects from the bar. I remember how both of District 2 got training scores of 10 this year.

'Yes, no one asked you, Brutus.' Miami snaps back. He returns to his drink. 'He likes to remind us of that every now and then. Particularly when he remembers that I've produced a Victor, where he has not.' She gestures to Green, who just shrugs and frowns.

'Oi, I've definitely got a Victor this year. Have you seen those kids?' Brutus replies.

'Tell me, Brutus. How does it feel to know that even _Tyga _here has produced a Victor, and you haven't?' The venom on the word 'Tyga' is positively dripping. I see her recoil.

'Yes, I'd appreciate if you leave me out this, Miami.'

'As you wish.'

'Thank you.'

These exchanges are very cold. Miami and Tyga really cannot deal with each other. Tyga wants nothing to do with her. In fact, in this moment, it becomes apparent that Miami, Brutus and I have basically been the only speakers in the last hour. The District 2 woman has said a word or two, but Green and Tyga have contributed basically nothing. It's a sour atmosphere to say the least. In fact, I know it's horrible, but I'm almost relieved when some action breaks out on our screens.

The Career pack (which of course includes Circe and Vice) is hunting the other tributes and they've come across the pair from District 11. They are both fairly young – maybe fourteen, with dark skin – a regular trait in their District. The second the Careers come into view, fear coats their faces and they bolt away through the jungle. It's scary enough to see the Careers bound after the weaponless tributes, but it's just downright terrifying to see Circe and Vice as two of them.

A rogue root betrays the girl and she stumbles to the ground, which immediately earns her Lux's sword in her back. A guttural sound escapes my throat as my body rejects the horrific act I've just witnessed. I feel several sets of eyes turn on me in the room, so I try to maintain my composure and keep my eyes locked on the screens. I feel Tyga move a little closer to me. Not touching me, but close enough to feel her supporting presence and remind me that I'm not alone in this room.

Vice is leading the pack chasing the boy, and Circe's trailing it. A close shot of her face shows me that she's not okay with what's happening. Her eyes are like a window revealing the pain she's feeling inside. But, she knows what she has to do. Vice however seems right at home chasing this boy. It's sickening.

In fact, it's his knife that flies into the boy's rib, causing him to collapse, where he gets killed by Hermes' spear. And in a matter of seconds, District 11 have lost their place in these Games. My mind floats to where Seeder must have just seen her tributes die. And Chaff. His first year, and life didn't even let his tributes live past the first day. I'd imagine something like that could tear you apart. I move back to my seat, shaking ever so slightly.

'Well, that was a bit anticlimactic.' Green says.

I explode. 'What the hell is wrong with you, Green?!' I shout. 'They died. What more did you want?!'

He shrugs. 'They could've at least put up a bit of a fight – given us something to watch.'

I decide to leave the room at this point as I think it'd be frowned upon if I brutally murdered Green in front of the other Victors. I consider returning upstairs, but instead I move back to Room 3. Like before, Surge, Woof and Glynn are present, but Vira is not.

'We thought we might be seeing you soon,' Surge says, 'Y'know, after the whole _what the hell is wrong with you_ shouting spree'

I sink into one of the chairs. 'I dunno, maybe I'm just naive. I just didn't think people could be like that.'

'It's unlikely we'll ever understand the mind of a Career,' Glynn says, 'Although I'd be happy to dissect one to try and find out. Maybe Brutus?'

Surge snorts, and I muster a smile.

'I dunno. I guess we're all just a bit damaged,' Surge sighs, 'Maybe that's just how they deal with it.'

I don't want the silence to come because when it's quiet I am forced to dwell on the events of the day, so I shift the subject to the only obvious topic – the Games.

'So, how are your guys doing?'

Surge goes a little pale, but thankfully Glynn answers.

'Okay – we've both got one left. No alliances. Limited sponsors. But alive.' She sighs, before attempting to perk up slightly. 'There's a sponsor rally tomorrow. You coming?'

'What's a sponsor rally?'

'It's basically where we meet a bunch of the Capitol people and try and get some more sponsors. You're good on-camera – I think you'd be of use to your team. Surge and I are going.'

'Well, I guess it sounds good enough. I'll see what Decimus has to say about.'

'Is he your escort?' I nod. 'He'll be going anyway I'd imagine.'

A lull in conversation emerges as it so regularly does in these control rooms. This is the first time I've really spoken to Glynn, aside from our brief introduction in District 8 a year and a half ago. She seems calm and controlled – not as openly friendly as Surge or Vira, but still pleasant. This leads me to thinking when I last saw Surge, and I quickly remember.

'Oh god, Surge! I'm so sorry!' He looks confused. 'Last year!'

I remember how I'd freaked out after Daley's death. Decimus had told me that Surge had been left with scratches and bruises all over.

'Oh, that!' He chuckles. 'I'd forgotten about that. You should've have seen me my first year! And unlike you, I was not a size that could be pinned down by just one Victor. You did no damage. It was just heartbreaking to watch. But don't worry, I've dealt with far worse than a few scratches.'

'But I'm_ sure_ he could have beaten you up if he wanted to!' Glynn says with a wink and playful grin.

'Well, obviously.' Surge replies. He then walks over to me and lifts up the chair with me still in it. 'Yeah, he could totally take me.'

I flail slightly, feeling like a little kid again, but it makes me laugh. Surge puts me down and chuckles with me. It feels good to laugh. It's not something I experience a lot nowadays. And knowing my luck, it's probably not something I'll experience again for quite some time.

* * *

A/N: So there we go! :) Apologies that it's a day late - sorry about that! Anyway, this chapter was more about character development than anything - so I'd love to hear in the reviews your opinions on the characters - how are they coming across? Who do you like/dislke? Who needs more development? Let me know in the reviews - I honestly appreciate them A LOT! See you next week! :)


	24. Chapter 24

-_April 2__nd__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

'Right, we want smiles and stature!' Decimus chimes as we enter the sponsor rally.

He's wearing an ice blue suit that reminds me of the one he was wearing when I first met him, two years ago. It's tight and has fake crystals jutting from the shoulders. The sponsor rally is being held in a huge hall and there are far more people here than I expected – maybe close to a thousand.

'Right, we're not here for long, so I suggest we split up to cover more ground!'

I'm not all too comfortable with being left alone on my first sponsor rally, but I make the most of the situation. My immediate thought is to head to the buffet, but I need to get my priorities right. I'm doing this to help Circe and Vice. Correction: I'm doing this to help Circe. I keep looking over at people, but it always seems inappropriate to interrupt their conversations. I'm feeling rather lost when a hand touches my shoulder.

'Hey there, stranger,' Glynn says, smiling, 'Is it all a bit daunting?'

'Yeah.' I nod. 'Is Surge here?'

Glynn's gaze hits the floor. 'He, uhh- well, his tribute didn't make it through the night. He's on his way back to 3.'

'Oh god,' I swallow hard, 'Did I miss anything else? I haven't got any updates from Decimus yet.'

'No, that was it I think.'

'Glynn Ravine!' I hear a voice cry from behind.

We turn to see an overweight man in his fifties, wearing a bold purple suit with a luminous gold tie.

'Mr. Sanctus!' Glynn says, a smile plastering onto her face. The pair embrace in a hug. 'This is Con-'

'But of course I know who this strapping chap is!' Mr. Sanctus says loudly, 'Connor Jedd! Victor of the – what was it? The 44th Games? District 5, no less!'

'Mr. Sanctus has been a sponsor for District 8 for the last ten years.'

'Yes!' Sanctus says with a loud snort. 'And what have I got for it? Nothing! Except, of course, this lovely lady here!' He bursts into laughter. 'Tell me, Glynn – when are you going to produce me another Victor?'

'Oh, we've got it well and truly planned out. In fact our Niall looks set for victory this year, I'm certain of it!'

'Well, I bet not if you have anything to do with it, eh Connor?' He laughs again. 'I've seen your stock this year – interesting, interesting specimens.'

It takes me a few seconds to realise he's referring to my tributes when he says "stock". I decide to move past this.

'Yes, Circe and Vice are certainly contenders, I'd say.' I reply with a fake smile.

'Indeed, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to stay loyal to my girl here.' He says, patting Glynn on the back a little too hard and laughing. 'Although,' he lowers his voice, 'I am going to need a Victor soon, Glynn. I can't just keep throwing money away like this.'

His gaze lifts and he grins at us, before moving onto another group of wildly-dressed Capitol citizens. When he is safely out of earshot, Glynn speaks again.

'It's all about sucking up to them, you see. Very few will show any respect to the tributes, but that's something we just have to deal with if want sponsors. Join in conversations – seriously, the Capitol people are such gossips that they won't even care if you just butt into their conversations. Just smile, big up your tributes, and you'll do fine.'

I take Glynn's advice and when she leaves to speak to some more potential sponsors, I go out to try my own luck. It's tricky to find any conversation that I could contribute anything to, but eventually I hear a name I recognise.

'And have you seen Cassia's outfits this year! Gorgeous – I tell you something, I have no idea where that woman gets these ideas!'

I take my chance. 'I hear it's all about finding one of the specific types of power District 5 makes, and developing that.'

'Connor Jedd!' A woman wearing all red says. 'Well, I suppose you are rather an expert on Cassia, aren't you?'

'I guess I am.' I say with a smile.

'I heard she designed Elva Mackenzie's dress at the President's Gala!' another says – this time a man in all blue. This comment is met with a mutter of appreciation.

'Well, she's certainly been doing an excellent job with our tributes this year. And with a little bit of help,' I wink. 'I reckon we'll be able to make sure she keeps producing outfits for one of them for years to come.'

The conversations mostly start like this. I get a few people interested – in fact, the woman in red seemed to be quite keen on the idea of supporting Circe and Vice. But it's tricky. And exhausting. I notice several other Victor's milling about amongst the crowds, laughing with Capitol citizens. I've spotted Green, Vine – the woman from six, a few of the men from 4, Brutus, a woman I recognise from 9 – they all seem to be trying their hardest. When I eventually do take a break at the buffet, I am greeted by an unexpected face.

'Tobi! What are you doing here?'

My former mentor smiles at me, as he fills a plate with sausage rolls. 'I'm allowed to come – the Capitol had no problems with it. Just nice to get out of the District – been here for a few days.'

'Why didn't you come and say hello in the training centre? I could've used your skills.'

He chuckles. 'I think you've outgrown the need for my "skills", Connor. Besides, I'm not allowed – only certain people are allowed in the training centre. They don't want people like me influencing the way you mentor.'

'Seems a bit unfair.'

'The Capitol aren't really known for their fairness, you know, Connor? What with the televised fights to the death and all that.'

'So, what are you doing here – like specifically here?'

'Well, it's good to socialise. And it's nice to try and put a word in for your tributes. Plus, it beats District 5.'

'Hardly' I scoff.

'Yes, well, your District 5 isn't the same as my District 5.'

'What do you mean by that?'

'Oh, never you mind. Come on, enjoy yourself! The food here's amazing. Getting sponsors can't be too hard – Careers and all that. Just take a break.' He helps himself to a plate of shrimp. 'How's the mentoring going?'

'Alright, I guess. I'm having to work with the Career mentors though.'

'Ugh,' Tobi wrinkles his nose up at the idea, 'That's one task I never had the misfortune of having to attempt. Who is it? Miami, Green, Brutus and Lyme?'

Lyme. So that's what the woman from 2 is called. I nod.

'God, that must be tough. Especially with Brutus – if I had to work with him, I don't know what I'd do. And super-naive. All of those Victors – none of them have been mentoring for more than ten years. But they all think they're the superstars of the mentoring world. Still, I suppose they've had it just as hard as us.'

This gets me thinking. The way Tyga's being used by the Capitol – surely some of the others have been. Miami and Green almost certainly. Possibly Glynn. Maybe even Surge. How can the Capitol use them like this? On cue, another familiar face appears to remind me of this.

'Well hello there, Mr. Jedd. Mr. Hornan.' His unnaturally sharp hazel eyes flit between mine and Tobi's.

'Hello, Mr. Snyde.' I reply.

Snyde helps himself to some food, a subtle smirk across his lips. 'I hope you know I didn't take kindly to your public accusations of me.'

'They were not _my_ accusations.' I reply firmly.

'Maybe, but they were from a tribute that you have mentored which therefore, by default, makes them yours.'

I remember what Tobi said a minute ago. _The Capitol aren't really known for their fairness, you know, Connor?_

'But it didn't actually result in anything,' Tobi says, 'What some kid said. He probably made it up.'

'Except he didn't, Mr. Hornan, as Mr. Jedd knows very well. He got that information from somewhere.' He stops picking at the buffet and locks eyes with me. 'It will do you good to know that, when one of your superiors tells you something in confidence, it is to remain in confidence. Or things like this can lead to all kinds of problems. Problems that can't be fixed with a simple telling off or slap of the hand.'

He leads me to a less busy corner of the room, out of earshot of the rest of the guests. Tobi protests asking to come, but I tell him it's okay. When we're alone, Snyde talks.

'Now, Connor.' He begins, addressing me using my first name for the first time. 'You and Miss Redlake are beginning to become somewhat of an issue for our President. Sure, it's completely manageable for now. But, the President wonders about the future. Rumours are circulating around the Capitol. People are beginning to believe that you and Miss Redlake are...an item. And they love the idea of it – two Victors..._in love_. But that's all it will remain as. _An idea_. Nothing more than a rumour, a happy thought. Is that understood?'

'Yes,' I reply, my jaw locked, 'That is fully understood.'

'Good,' he says with a painted smile. He starts to leave, before spinning on his heel, and smiling a sickening smirk at me. 'Oh, and about Vice Taybridge's accusations – that is all being dealt with now. In fact, this afternoon, I'm flying out to District 5 to see the repercussions personally.'

His lips slip into a grin, before he returns to the crowds, leaving me with blood like ice as terror fills me. He's flying to District 5 to see the repercussions. What repercussions? Are my family safe? My stomach drops a thousand feet as I realise that once again, I've upset the Capitol. And once again, it may cost me the lives of everyone I love.

* * *

A/N: SO SORRY about not uploading a chapter last week! I just completely forgot - simple as that. So sorry - anyway, let me know what you think of this chapter in the reviews! What do you think is going to happen? Who/what do you like/dislike? Let me know - thanks so much :) See you next week!


	25. Chapter 25

-_April 5__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

With a boom, the cannon goes off, leaving just seven. In a few moments, the hovercraft will arrive to pick up the remains of the District 6 girl.

Circe and Vice have survived so far. A snake attack threatened them yesterday, but they managed to fight them off. Their ally, Lena from 2, was not so lucky. Brutus seemed oddly okay with this which horrified me – he just watched a girl he mentored die in front of him and his only response was _you win some, you lose some_.

Niall from 8 also fell victim to the snakes. I saw Glynn on her way out – her face was cold as stone and her eyes glazed over. I decided not to talk to her – it wouldn't help. Since then, the Careers have been eliminating the rest of the competition. This morning they took out the girl from 7, and the District 6 girl marks their second victim of the day.

The other mentoring rooms must be quiet. District 9 and 12 are the only non-career Districts left and, at the rate they're being picked off, they won't last much longer. This is starting to worry me though – with so few tributes left, the Careers are getting agitated. With five of the seven tributes alive being Careers, you can guarantee the alliance won't last much longer. And you can also guarantee that, when the alliance does eventually break down, the irregular District 5 Careers will be the first to be killed off.

The room is tense. We all are aware of the situation and I imagine it's not pleasant to watch one of your fellow mentors' tributes kill yours. I have decided not to tell Tyga about my conversation with Snyde. There's no point. I can't change what Snyde is doing and, whilst this knowledge is ripping me apart, I refuse to let it do the same to Tyga. So I keep quiet. Not that we're together as much as I'd like – we've tried to make it so when I'm awake she's sleeping and vice versa.

'God, they could at least try,' Lux says from the screen, 'I mean how are you gonna bring pride to your District if you can't even outrun a few knives?'

I feel myself recoil as the District 1 tribute turns his nose up at the dead girl. Brutus stands up.

'I'm off to see if they have anymore of these Aquila cocktails.' he says.

'But Brutus, what if something happens to Hermes?' I ask, shocked. Surely he won't just leave his tribute.

'He can handle himself,' he says with a shrug, 'And if he can't, well there's nothing I can do about it. If he wants to get the glory, he's got to put in the work.'

He then leaves the room, leaving just myself and Miami.

'How can you people be like this?!' I burst.

Miami looks taken aback. 'Like what?'

'Like it's all just one mission for glory! You don't even care what happens to your tributes! And the volunteering! What do you do? Do you just, like, train your tributes up to go to the slaughter?! How can you do that to kids?'

Miami looks speechless. 'Connor, I think-'

'No, because it's all just a game to you, isn't it? You all just want the glory and the riches and you don't even care if it means killing innocent children!'

'Connor, it's not that bad.'

'What?! Yes, Miami, it is! You're training these kids up to die! How many tributes have you mentored, Miami? Huh? And how many have you watched die?!'

Her face is cold and her lips are pursed. 'Listen, it's a-'

'No, Miami! It's sick! Your children enter this death competition for the glory and it's sick! In fact, you-'

And then Miami breaks. She gets to her feet and roars 'What choice do we have, Connor?!'

Her impact is so overwhelming that I'm stunned.

'What's the alternative, Connor?! Having tributes like yours – tributes that cry when they're chosen, tributes that give up and accept their death!' she shrieks, 'No, Connor! We train our tributes – they enter the Games seeking glory – for them, the Games are their greatest achievement. And when they die, they die knowing they've achieved something! Everyone dies, Connor! Only one person lives each year! And you may think it's wrong that our tributes die believing in glory, but I would choose that over dying afraid and lonely any day!'

She grits her teeth and her voice is quiet and spitting now.

'Twenty-three of them die. And I'm sorry if it's wrong if our willing tributes take the place of terrified children. They save a life, and they die in glory. That's all it is. And I won't be made to feel guilty about that.'

And suddenly she's shut me up. Because my logic can't beat that. And suddenly I'm understanding them all – Miami, Green, Teal, Chant, Bliss, Cerulean – all the Careers I've known all suddenly make sense. And I suddenly feel sorry for them. And it's all getting too much. This has somehow ruptured all the hate I feel for the way the Capitol controls us. In fact I cry. Not very loudly, not dramatically, I just feel the tears trickle down my face. Miami tunes into the second the water hits my cheek.

'Connor, I'm sorry. I didn't- I didn't mean to-'

'No, no it's not you.' I breathe out slowly. I can't cry. I can't. Not now. 'It's been a lot of things.'

Miami nods and she lifts my chin up. 'Meet me in an hour.' Her voice has none of the emotion and empathy I expected. But then, I guess that would sound odd coming from Miami's lips.

'Meet you where?'

'Ah, Brutus! Did you find what you were looking for?'

'I did,' he says, strolling in, 'He's still alive? Good, good.'

* * *

I was supposed to meet Miami ten minutes ago. The only problem is, she never specified where.

Tyga and Green took over twenty minutes ago, and we both returned to our quarters. I'm pacing around my room trying to work out where Miami could want to meet me. I tried visiting her floor, but her escort, a vicious dumpy woman, was having none of it. I tried the other mentoring rooms – nothing but Art, half-asleep at the console and the female District 9 mentor.

Suddenly, I consider the one place I haven't checked. I head to the elevator and push the small button above 12. With a ding, the elevator arrives at the roof, where Miami waits at the edge, wearing a midnight blue gown, her hair tied up neatly. It is night now and the starts sparkle in the sky as the moon looks down and bathes us in its glow.

'I was beginning to think you didn't know about this place,' she turns to me, 'But I guess the fact you do shows that you do indeed have problems worth talking about.'

I walk over to her. 'Look, Miami. I- I don't think this is necessary. It just got a bit much earlier. In fact I don't-'

'Connor,' she says, and I fall silent, 'Come join me.'

I walk over until I'm standing next to her, my hands resting on the ledge that stops us from plummeting to our deaths. Perhaps that's a good thing. The lights of the city illuminate the view.

'People only come up here when what they have to say shouldn't be heard by the Capitol. The fact that you know of this place means you know things the Capitol isn't happy about.'

I don't reply, as we both gaze out on the city.

'I'm not a robot, Connor. I do feel...empathy. You can talk to me.'

'With all due respect, Miami, you're really not the person I want to talk to right now.'

She smiles acceptingly, before her gaze turns downward and her smile fades. 'I was prostituted by the Capitol, Connor. I still am.'

I look to her, my eyes wide.

'I refused once. They killed my boyfriend. I haven't heard from my parents in five years. I've watched 11 of my tributes die and every night I relive their deaths in vivid detail.'

The city noises distantly fill the air. Miami turns to me.

'That's me, Connor.' Her eyes look deep into mine. 'Talk to me.'

So I tell her. I tell her about me, I tell her about Tyga, I tell her about Vice, I tell her about Snyde. And she doesn't say a word until I'm done and the night air fills the silence.

'You're lucky.' she says.

'I'm sorry?'

'You're lucky. To have found love.' Her eyes seem glazed over as she looks out into the night. 'It's not something that happens to Victors.'

'I'm sorry,' I say, 'About your boyfriend.'

'It was along time ago,' but I can see her mind fighting back the memories, 'I don't like Tyga, you know I don't. But don't let her go, Connor, not for anything. If you've found someone who understands you like that, you have to be willing to risk everything. And that's what you may have to do.'

Together we stare up into the night sky.

'The stars are bright tonight' I say.

'Yes. They are.' Miami replies. And if I didn't know better, I could've sworn that there were tears in her eyes.

* * *

A/N: So, there we go - we learn a bit more about Miami there :) Let me know in the reviews what you think! By the way, there's a chance there may not be a new chapter on Monday - I have important exams going on at the moment, so revision is taking priority right now. Apologies for that. So, yeah PLEASE review :D

P.S. The song 'Salvation' by Gabrielle Aplin is, I think, a perfect song for Connor and Tyga, so check that out :) Let me know if you agree!


	26. Chapter 26

-_April 10__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

My eyes are weary, tracking the wine as I slosh it around the glass. I can smell the puke from the bathroom and as it mixes with the alcohol in the air, it creates a vile scent. I'm guessing that no one is currently residing in the bedrooms, but I haven't checked. Tyga's in the mentoring room. God knows where Decimus or the District 5 style team is. I can hear the distant bass from a Capitol party. It's a big party – perhaps my team are there, living it up. Probably. That's what these Capitol people do. They party whilst the District's children die.

I gulp down the rest of the wine in my glass and reach for some more, but the bottle's empty so I carelessly toss it to the ground. It doesn't smash. I'm not sure what time it is, but it's dark outside – maybe 1am? Bile creeps up my throat, but I push it back down. I've already puked three times. That wasn't because of the alcohol though. No. I think it was probably because tonight I watched Circe die.

I was in the middle of an interview with Caesar. It was a casual thing. Not so much an interview as an analysis of the Games so far. There were a few of us there – Green, Tobi, an older woman from 4 called Mags – we basically just took a look at clips and explained who we thought had good chances of winning and why tributes did what they did. It was alright actually. The killing shown was minimalistic, which made it slightly more pleasant than usual. And Tobi was there if I needed support, I suppose. I settled into it quickly.

'Now, Connor, obviously you're the youngest living Victor so perhaps, in a way, you can relate most to your tributes. What will be going through their minds at this point?' Caesar had asked.

I'd begun answering but then Caesar's hand had gone up to his ear piece and an alarmed expression had spread across his face. 'I'm sorry, Connor, I'm going to have to stop you there. I'm receiving information that you and Green are urgently needed in the mentoring rooms. Ladies and gentlemen, Connor Jedd and Green Western!'

As the audience applauded, I had walked off stage with Green, confused and afraid. Infuriatingly, no one explained to me what was going on as I was rushed to the mentoring rooms. When I arrived, Tyga rushed over and grabbed my hand, leading me into the room.

'Oh, thank God. I thought they'd ignored my request for you' she said, her face pale with fear.

Miami was the only other in the room, and she was a lot more contained in her welcome to Green, with just a solemn head nod. Brutus' tribute, Hermes, had died two days ago, causing the District 2 Victor nothing more than a mild inconvenience, as he left the Capitol, so we were the only mentors left in Room 1.

'The Career alliance is splitting up.' Tyga began.

She didn't need to finish though. My eyes had caught the screen and what I had seen rattled my very soul. The District 1 tributes, Symphony and Lux, were brawling with Circe and Vice. The scene was painted red with blood, but the tributes were all still fighting. The quivering outline of Circe threw a knife at Lux, but it missed. I could see fear in her eyes. Determination, but fear.

Vice was taking on Symphony, and he seemed to be winning. I could see his eyes raging with presence. Every morsel of his focus was on what he was doing here and now. He stabbed a knife into Symphony's shoulder, and it left her flesh a deep crimson and she cried out. This was it – Vice was going to kill the District 1 girl.

Suddenly, I was Tobi, 2 years ago, watching his tributes fight the tributes from District 1. Watching Ace take on Chant as I took on Bliss. Watching the blood, the battle, the horror. I could see it all – how Tobi watched Ace die. District 1 versus District 5. It seemed it always came down to that in the end, at least where I was involved. And last year, when both Savannah and Daley got killed by Cerulean, the District 1 girl. Always District 1 versus District 5. Always.

And then the final scream was heard. It was female – horrific and ultimate. But it wasn't from Symphony. My eyes flicked to the other screen, where Lux had just sunk his sword through Circe's chest. Blood flowed like lava from the wound as Circe hit the ground. I saw her pupils shake away their light until Circe was gone, and the body of a seventeen year-old girl was all that remained.

I stared. The tributes fought. Tyga spoke. I didn't reply. Vice attacked. Symphony died. Green yelled. Vice ran. Lux ran. Tyga spoke. I didn't reply. The hovercraft arrived. Circe left the arena. I went to my room. I didn't speak. I arrived at my room. I sent the Avoxes away. I poured some wine. I sat down. I stared.

And several hours later, here I am.

There are four left now. Lux, Vice, the boy from 9 and the girl from 12. I hope Vice wins. Not because I care about his survival at all – I just don't think I can deal with another year of mentoring. Snyde's threat is still plaguing the back of my mind. I just can't scratch his plans from my mind. Every passing second I'm wondering how far he's willing to go. He wouldn't kill anyone... would he?

I can feel the alcohol sinking into my brain. I've never really drunk much of it before. My eyes start to close. I welcome the nightmares tonight – surely I can't imagine anything much worse than reality.

* * *

'Connor Jedd! What in the name of Panem are you doing?!'

I sit up too fast and my vision flies into colours and spots for a few seconds before I regain focus. I look down at myself. My white shirt is no longer white, with dots of red. At first I worry that it's blood, but I'm all too familiar with the colour of blood and this doesn't match. Plus it doesn't take a genius to take note of the waft of alcohol fumes that surround me. My blonde hair creates patches in my vision, so I swipe it aside.

The coffee table is stained with drops of wine and a glass is split into shards on the floor. I can vaguely smell puke. Standing as far away from the detritus as possible, Decimus looks positively green with disgust. His nose is curled up and his eyes are wide with shock.

'What happened here?!'

'Ugh...' I begin, holding my head, 'Sorry, I dunno, I just-'

'This is completely inappropriate for a mentor! Sure, I've heard about the Victors from six and ten, but good lord, Connor – I did not expect this from you!'

'What can I say, Decimus?' I throw my hands up melodramatically. 'I screwed up!'

His face turns sour. 'Do you really think this is appropriate, judging your current...situation with the Capitol?! They've already got plans to lay on more Avoxes to maintain things here – we do not need any more cause for fire! And this reflects badly on _all_ of us! Now, come on, Connor! Tyga's been in that mentoring room for way longer than she should have been.'

I feel a tug at my heart when she mentions Tyga. I just left her. Again.

'Go and get a shower! And good lord, we need to get an avox in here.'

I take Decimus' advice and go to get showered. My bathroom reeks of vomit, so I sneak across the hall to use whoever's room is opposite mine. My head hurts – I'm not sure if that's normal? It probably is. I make a mental note to not get drunk again. As I'm in the shower, last night starts to come back to me – Circe, Symphony, Lux, Vice. I've still got a job to do. Even if I don't like Vice, it's not my job to decide whether he lives or dies. I've got to at least try to help him. I wrap a towel around my waist and walk out of the bathroom. I'm greeted by a high-pitched squeal.

'Oh my god, Carvilia! I'm so sorry!'

My favourite prep team member is stood in what must be her bedroom looking bewildered.

'Sorry, I borrowed your shower. Mine is...having plumbing...issues.'

'Oh no, umm, that's fine.' She regains her composure slightly. 'I was just coming in to sort you out anyway. Decimus said that you were looking a bit worse for ware. We can do it hear if you want.'

I sit down, and she gets out a massive tray of products – a smorgasbord of make-up, conditioner, gels, creams and basically anything beauty-related. She starts working a mousse into my hair. We chat for a while – I haven't had a chance to speak to her in ages. Eventually, the inevitable topic comes up.

'Is it true what they're saying about you and Tyga?'

'I dunno.'

She puts down the mousse and starts rubbing creams into my cheeks and forehead. 'Well, I mean if it _is_, good for you. You're...sweet together.' Her hands falter very slightly. 'But, be careful.'

'How so?'

'Just...you have to be careful how you play it. These things can go wrong sometimes.'

'Carvilia, I think I've experienced the Capitol at its worst. I know what they're capable of.'

'Nonetheless...' She eyes the corners of the room and I suddenly realise there are probably cameras in here. 'Be careful. Don't make a dangerous enemy.'

Whilst the topic is dropped quickly, I take these words in. Although I've probably already made a dangerous enemy. Because I need to stop fooling myself that the Capitol is even slightly on my side. They don't need me. Not really. And I wonder how many mistakes I need to make before they dispose of me. Unless I can make myself needed...

I ponder this as I head down to the mentoring room.

* * *

A/N: So, here you go! I hope you enjoy this chapter! And PLEASE PLEASE review! :D See you next week!


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Just a quick reminder of some of the minor characters as there are a fair few in this chapter. Whilst it's not necessary to know them, this might help - Cassia is Connor/Vice's stylist. Surius was Circe's stylist. Connor/Vice's prep team consists of Fabius, Pollia and Carvilia. Okie dokey, enjoy!

* * *

-_April 11__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

Snyde stands with a smirk across his lips, as the snakes pour out of the ground. They tackle me and I'm screaming. Screaming muted cries, the sound refusing to escape my lungs. The snakes lunge into me, and with every bite, the pain grows sharper.

Suddenly, they transform and they're not snakes anymore. They're figures – people I recognise – Teal, Ace, Vice, Brutus – all of them stabbing at me. And I hear more cries in the distance. Pura and Tristan wail for me, but I can't see my siblings. Nor can I see my friends – Kennedy and Shay cry out my name. And Tabs is there. Tyga's sister's screams perish the dark red clouds. And Snyde is still laughing. As the people I love scream, and I get beaten to shreds, he continues to laugh. And the stabs become more painful and the dark becomes darker and the screams become louder and–

I awake in a cold sweat, my lungs exhausted from screaming. Today's the day. We'll crown a Victor today.

* * *

We're not in the mentoring room anymore. We're up on floor 5, and the whole team is here – me, Tyga, Decimus, the stylists and the prep teams. We've passed the point where we are no longer allow to give parachutes, so there's nothing more we can do. There're three tributes left – in an unexpected twist, the District 1 tribute, Lux, mistook some poisonous berries as edible and it didn't take long for the cannon to find him after that. It's just Vice, the boy from 9 and the girl from 12 left now.

A fire started in the arena about fifteen minutes ago. It's moving slowly – clearly not intended to kill, just to draw the tributes together. And it's working. Caesar Flickerman is kindly showing us a map of the arena, with the tributes highlighted, and they're less than half a kilometre away from each other.

'Can you imagine?' Decimus begins with glee, 'Three Victors in five years!'

'It's unheard of!' Surius adds. I imagine he's probably a little depressed following Circe's death. He was her stylist, after all. But if he is saddened, he's not showing it. 'Well, at least in the non-Career Districts.'

Tyga and I are watching the screen warily, but the Capitol citizens of the room are positively celebrating. They've been chitchatting about the tributes all morning.

'Did you see when Niall died? I wept, honestly, I wept.'

'Me too! What a character!'

'Tell, you what – I bet Glynn was gutted. Must be infuriating to never have a winner.'

'Mm-hm. I said to Fabius, I said imagine what Art must be feeling.'

'Which one's Art?'

'The guy from twelve. Older bloke. Honestly, Lucia, you should know this.'

'Oh, him. Has he ever mentored a Victor?'

'Nope.'

'Gosh, must be awful.'

'You're telling me. Every year, they go into the arena and then they don't come out. Makes you glad our District has such a high success rate of late.'

'What's that I smell? District promotions?'

They all laugh. I don't get it. Frankly, I've tried to fade their ramblings out in my brain. Their conversations are inane, naive, and for the most part, offensive, but ignoring them has proved all but impossible. And I suppose it's a welcome distraction from the Games. In fact, their excited squeals draw my attention to the action that is just entering the screens.

The girl from twelve has just been spotted by Vice, but she hasn't seen him. His eyes turn to slits as he silently stalks his prey. You can hear the fire gently crackling away through the forest, as Caesar has taken a break from the commentary as this vital moment takes place. The girl's eyes flit around the forest, but Vice has kept himself well-covered.

Suddenly, with a burst of motion, he leaps out of the bushes. The girl's eyes widen and the fear paralyses her. Seconds before his knife lunges into her throat, she manages to break through the terror cocoon and dart to the side but, for all Vice's flaws, he is good at predicting people. He skids to the side and scrapes a maroon slash into the girl's ribs. She falls to the floor, and Vice is on top of her in seconds. As though some invisible creature has yanked at my hair, my head whips away from the screen. And unfortunately, I'm all too familiar with the sound of a knife making a kill to be prepared for the cannon that quickly comes.

'Come on Vice!' Fabius cheers, and then I hear the clinking of glasses.

Tyga's hand grips forcefully onto mine. 'Don't,' she whispers, 'They just want their tribute to win.'

I'm glad she did this because I don't like hurting people and I definitely would've hurt Fabius. Although I also feel like she's gripping onto my hand just as much to keep herself down as she is for my benefit.

'So, two left!' Caesar Flickerman continues his commentary. 'And here you can see the odds. Who are _you_ betting on?'

The District 9 boy's odds are light years away from Vice's near-certain odds, and this warrants another whoop from the prep teams. I begin to realise that there's actually a strong possibility that Vice could win this. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, but surely he's done all the damage he'll do. But my mind keeps playing on what Snyde had planned.

Vice and the boy from 9 are moving ever closer and I can feel the tension building in the room, although the way the prep teams are acting, you'd think they'd have already won. I haven't been in this situation before and I think it's really showing to me how everyone on the District 5 team operates.

Pollia, Fabius, Cassia and all of the other prep team are stood up, clinking glasses and helping themselves to canapés that the avoxes are handing out. Surius and Carvilia are sat, happy but calmer. Decimus is happy, but I can see the doubt in his eyes that runs through Tyga and my veins. And all eleven of us watch as Vice and the boy from 9 meet.

The boy is probably about fifteen with ginger hair and a skinny build. I hear Caesar refer to him as Colt. He spots Vice before Vice spots him and a knife flies through the air towards the District 5 boy. Luckily for Vice, Colt's aim isn't on point and the blade lodges itself in a nearby tree. Eyes filling with fury (and just a hint of fear), Vice charges at Colt.

His muscles are bulging with energy. He doesn't have that many muscles, but they've developed in the arena. He's fast, but so is Colt. A pebble flies through the air from Colt's slingshot, but Vice has dodged it and before I know it, he's tackled Colt to the ground.

Both of them are crying out, their voices gritty with determination. Colt bites into Vice's arm, enough to draw blood, leaving his mouth reddened, and earns a punch around the cheek for this. Vice reaches for his knife, but Colt has batted his hand away – this boy is stronger than I expected. I can hear the doubt in the room now, as an _ooh_ comes from the prep teams as Colt punches Vice in the gut.

And suddenly, Vice has grabbed his knife. The blade is high above Colt's chest ready to make impact. The boy fights but it's now use. The blade comes down. The flesh gets ripped. The boy's heart stops. The game is won.

'Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present the Victor of the 46th Hunger Games...Vice Taybridge!'

The room erupts in cheers. I hear fireworks from outside as this year's Games end. Vice is bloodied and beaming. And unexpectedly, I smile. It's like it's all okay now. I didn't expect to react like this, but I'm happy Vice has won. It was like when I saw Tyga win – I didn't even know her then, but there was an immense pride that swept through me as someone from my District won. We've won. We've done it. We've won.

* * *

It's several hours before Vice is released. Unlike my Games, this year Tyga, Decimus and I are to immediately greet Vice upon his release from the post-Games treatment, where his injuries are sorted, and he is psychologically assessed. This happened to me, but I remember very little of it – it was mostly a blur after being announced Victor. We'll then take Vice back to Floor 5 and the celebrations will commence.

Eventually, the rugged figure of Vice emerges and Decimus wraps his arms around him.

'You did it, you did it!'

Vice can't help but smile. Tyga gives him a courteous hug and I pat him on the back, as we congratulate him. I don't like Vice, but this is a happy moment. It's as if we can just forget the Games for a moment and embrace the victory. We hop into the car back to the training building, insect-like paparazzi swarming around us. We have several dozen bodyguards fighting to keep them away, but eventually we make it into the car.

'Vice the Victor – it has quite a ring!' Decimus remarks with glee, as we travel.

'The party will be a lot bigger at Floor 5 than yours, Connor – all the mentors still in the Capitol will be there, plus some of the stylists,' Tyga adds, 'We decided not to have this when you won – I didn't think you'd deal with it well.'

That's understandable, what with me fainting upon victory. We arrive in lightning speed – it would appear the roads have been closed off for our journey. We are ushered into the building, as the paparazzi get shoved aside by bodyguards. Crowds cheer congratulations from behind the sea of cameras. We make our way up to Floor 5, and we can still very vaguely hear the crowd outside chanting _Vice, Vice, Vice_ over and over when we arrive.

The elevator doors open with a ding. Inside Floor 5, everyone is happy and cheering – the room buzzes with excitement. Floor 5 is glistening with people I recognise. The sly grin of Miami. The lilac eyes of Cassia. The bulging muscles of Brutus. The ginger hair of-

My blood turns cold. I twist round to face Tyga.

'Tyga, leave.'

'What?' her eyes dart with confusion.

'Turn around. Just go downstairs.'

'Connor, what are you-'

'Just please, Tyga. Just trust me. Go downstairs. Turn around, don't look.'

'Connor, I don't understand-'

'TYGA! Please! Trust me!'

'What, I-'

But her eyes widen now, her face turns white as a sheet and I know she's seen what I saw. Because standing there, entirely in red, with sorrowful eyes, is a person we both recognise. And just one word slips out of Tyga's mouth.

'Tabs' she croaks.

A crystal tear works its way down her sister's cheek until it drips off her chin, leaving a damp spot on her scarlet outfit. And it's an outfit we all recognise.

It's the outfit of an avox.

* * *

A/N: Ooh! Did you see that coming? Let me know what you think! Anyway, apologies for uploading this a week late - I hadn't finished it and I didn't want to rush it and end up not giving it its full effect, especially as this is an important chapter. So, I hope that's alright. Anyway, I REALLY appreciate your reviews, so PLEASE let me know what you think. And I'll see you next week!


	28. Chapter 28

-_April 11__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

'No. No, no, no...' Tyga whimpers as she walks over to her muted sister.

The room is deadly silent. Thinking about it, not a single occupant of the room aside from Tyga, I and possibly Vice actually knows who Tabs is. But I think the cogs are beginning to creak into action – the pair look so very similar – people must be able to clock it.

'Could someone please fill us in?' Cassia squawks, but no one replies.

'No, no, no...' Tyga holds her sister's head in her hands, and the pair lock dampened eyes. 'No, no, no...'

Decimus coughs a little. 'Perhaps it would be best if everyone leaves. Clearly, we're having a bit of-'

And that's when it properly begins. Tyga let's out a tragic primeval wail, and the tears begin to flow. Waterfalls cascade down her cheeks, her fiery hair has been lit alight with fury and loss and her eyes burn like hot coals. She cries – no, more than that – she screams. Screaming at the Capitol for stealing her sister, because it's more than just muting her – they've taken her from District 5 and Tyga may never see her again. And then she takes aim, and Vice is in the firing line.

'You!' she roars, her voice flickering into an inferno, 'YOU DID THIS!'

She lunges at Vice, grabbing him by the throat and pushing his face to hers, so he is forced to gaze into those burning eyes.

'SHE WAS ALL I HAD! I HAD NOTHING ELSE – NO PARENTS, NO OTHER BROTHERS OR SISTERS – AND YOU TOOK HER!' Her grip tightens around the boy's throat, who now is reduced to nothing more than a fearful child. 'I helped you. I did everything I could for you. So, why, Vice?! TELL ME WHY!'

She throws him to the ground where he splutters. Decimus pipes up, a little timidly at first before gaining confidence.

'Right, okay, everyone out!' When no one moves, he shouts it again. 'EVERYONE! OUT!'

People start moving now, quickly to the elevators. Many elevators run through this building, so in less than a minute, most of the occupants of the room are gone. A few linger, but Decimus sternly commands them to leave. As Tyga holds tightly to Tabs, she turns to Vice again with a look so venomous, he risks being poisoned by just looking at her.

'I said..._why_?'

'I...I didn't think...I just...' Vice stutters. 'I mean, I couldn't...I didn't...'

Tyga turns away from him and holds onto Tabs for as long as possible. The silence that follows lasts until the early hours of the morning, when Vice has gone to bed.

'Tyga,' Decimus says gently, 'You need to let her go. She'll be reprimanded if she doesn't return to avox management.'

Tyga clutches onto her sister one last time, their cheeks dry and red now – the tears have long since dried up. She lets Tabs go and when the elevator doors shut, stealing her sister from view, I see one last crystal tear seep from her dark eyes, before she wipes it away. I put my arm around her and give her a soft kiss. She lies down on my lap and we lay there awake, until the sun rises. And when the morning team of avoxes arrive, Tabs is not among them.

* * *

The sun flickers through the curtains and although I am not willing to get up, I can't spend my whole day in bed. Well, I could, but I'm not going to.

It's been just over a week since Vice was crowned Victor. The repercussions of his victory have been unseen by the majority of the Districts, but for those of us in the know, they've left scars that will not heal. Nothing happened to Pura and Tristan, thank god. I don't know what I would have done if Snow had done something to them. But the others didn't get off so lightly.

Tyga has been solitary. I've spent every day with her, but she hasn't left her house since she entered it at the start of the week. We talk a lot – our relationship's very much the same as it was before, but there's something hollow about Tyga now. She doesn't have the kindness she had before. Nothing particularly noticeable, but one of those scars that will not heal.

Vice got it the worst though. When he came back, he had no parents to greet him. No one knows what happened to them. They just weren't there when he returned to the District. He has a sister too, but she's moved in with her grandparents and refuses to speak with Vice. We're working on that. Vice is still as awful as ever, but his fragility is showing now, and it's hard not to offer help to someone so obviously desperate. Tyga also refuses to speak with him.

I trek downstairs and make myself some breakfast. Pura's at school and Tristan's probably at the hospital. He's not a doctor or anything, but he was getting so bored not working that last week he started volunteering – helping out with the cleaning, getting supplies organised – things like that. He seems a lot happier now, which makes me smile. After I finish my breakfast, I take a quick shower, pull on some clothes and head to Vice's house – that's another thing that's different – now four of twelve houses in the Victor's village are occupied.

I bang my fist on the door three times. 'Vice!'

'Go away!'

'Nope, not gonna happen, I'm afraid!'

I hear him grumble and the door flies open. He's standing there, weary eyed and smelling of alcohol. Oh yeah, he's started drinking too.

'Come on, Vice. We're not having you locking yourself inside all day.' I turn my nose up at the reeking scent of alcohol. 'You're a Victor now, whether you like it or not.'

'Tyga's doing it, so why can't I?' He burps loudly and the scent makes me recoil.

'Well, Tyga's not the latest Victor, is she?' I look him in the eyes sympathetically. 'Come on, Vice, you need to show them you're not beaten.'

'I think I've proved I'm not beaten – I don't need to prove it to anyone else, _Connor_. Now if you'll excuse me-' He gestures to a rack of full bottles of alcohol. '-I'm busy.'

At which point, he slams the door in my face.

And then I look across the Victor's village. The optimistic twelve houses, with the picket fences and perfect paint jobs. All full of broken, damaged people. Tyga won't leave her house – she's lost her sister. Vice won't leave his house – he's lost his parents. And Tobi never leaves his house either. And then I realise – I barely even know Tobi. Why does he never venture into the village? Who has he lost?

I decide to find out.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this is such a short chapter. To be honest, it really wasn't particularly ready to be up this week, but I'm not going to be able to update next week (and very possibly the week after) so I wanted to at least post something this week. But yeah, I'm not going to be able to write all of next week, so I'll need to get motivated when I can, and the best way to inspire me is to post reviews :) Hint, hint. Hint. Anyway, guys - see you in a few weeks.


	29. Chapter 29

-_April 21__st__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

'Do you want a drink or anything?'

Tobi's house is familiar and tidy. Like Tyga and I, he has a series of candles on his windowsill – one large elaborate one, surrounded by three smaller candles. They represent people whose deaths Tobi feels responsible for. I look away.

'No thanks, I'm good.'

'How's Tyga?'

'Better. Not good, but better.'

Tobi nods solemnly as he pours himself a cup of coffee.

'Good,' he says, picking up his coffee and sitting opposite me in the living room, 'I worry about her sometimes, you know, Connor.'

'She's stronger than you think.'

'Yeah, I have no delusions about her strength. Hell, she's probably the strongest out of the lot us. Doesn't mean I don't worry.'

'Yeah...' My eyes keep slipping back to the candles.

'You seem distracted.'

'I am. I've just never seen this side to her. She seems – it's like she's lost something. I mean she has, really, but it's like I'm doubting what I knew about her.'

'Listen, Connor – if there's one person you don't need to worry about, it's Tyga. She's a fighter. She's level-headed. She's got this fire inside of her and it's going to take a lot more than the Capitol to douse that flame. Just give her some time to work things out.'

'Yeah,' I mull this over for a minute before decide to start planting the seeds, 'I was planning in going into town later – there's a big post-Victor celebration going on there. Do you wanna come? Everyone's going – Mr. Tyne, the Jacksons, the Mayor, Mrs. Garielles-'

I see his face tighten with each name.

'No, no, I'm quite okay, Connor.'

'Well, why not?'

'I'm just not up to it today.'

'Please, Tobi, I really need you there.' He's either going to have to start spilling or he'll have to come.

'Look, Connor, I really would like to...but I can't.'

'Why not?'

'Just not today.'

'Why not, Tobi?!' I throw my hands in the air. 'Tobi! What is so terrifying about the District 5 people that makes you afraid to leave the house?!'

His jaw locks and his eyes burn with intensity, and I suddenly feel as though I've gone too far, but I can't stop now. 'Listen, Connor,' His voice is calm but it has a bitter edge to it. 'I'm not- I'm not liked.'

'By who?! The whole District?!' His vagueness is distressing me.

'Connor, I'd like you to leave now.'

'No, Tobi!' I shout. 'What are you hiding?!'

He gets to his feet and suddenly it's like I'm a whimpering mouse and he's a powerful lion.

'Do you want to know, Connor?!'

I nod, trying to regain some stance.

'Did you ever think to ask about my Games? Two years we've known each other and you've never even asked! Well, let me tell you about my Games.'

His eyes burn with such fire that I feel I could get scorched just by standing here.

'There was this girl – Gem her name was. Gem Harlet. Nothing particularly special about her. Didn't always have enough to eat, worked at the factories. But to me, she was utterly irresistible. We'd known each other for years, but I'd started to get feelings for her. In fact, we started dating about a week before the Reaping. That was our last Reaping – we were both eighteen – it was going to be a celebration; we'd survived the Reapings. Except it didn't turn out that way.'

I see his pupils flick to the large candle on the windowsill, just for a second, before they returned to me, swimming in a history that had gone unspoken for I don't know how long.

'Gem got reaped. She was hysterical. I couldn't let her die. I couldn't, Connor, I couldn't. So, I volunteered. Some scrawny little kid's life got saved and I was going into the arena. I did it to protect her, Connor. I did it to protect her. I figured-' He swallows hard. 'I figured, if I could go into the arena, I could protect her for as long as possible and then she'd go on to win.'

My heart is beating fast. I can feel the pressure that exudes from every word – Tobi is having trouble recounting this. I'm not sure if I want to hear any more, but he continues.

'And so we went into the arena together. We were branded as a couple – lovers thrown into a hopeless situation. The whole of District 5 was rooting for us, obviously, and the Capitol loves a good love story – I think they probably edited it to make us look like the perfect couple. The arena wasn't pleasant. It was hot. Too hot. We were all struggling – some didn't make it. They cooled the arena down a bit after that. Death from dehydration wasn't entertaining. And so we fought, Gem and I. We took out a few tributes on our way – not many, but a few.'

He swallows hard again and his face is a window to the war raging on inside his mind.

'Eventually, there were four of us left. Just four – me, Gem, the boy from 4 and the boy from 10. To keep the viewers interested, the Gamemakers had decided to unleash great fires into the arena. Me and Gem had got caught up in the fire – her leg had got burnt – badly. She couldn't walk on it. It was too late for parachutes and the fire was fast approaching. And then I saw it. The opportunity. I could win this. District 5 could actually have a Victor.'

I see a silent tear trickle from his eye.

'So I picked up a rock. The biggest I could find. Told Gem to close her eyes. And I killed her.'

I stare at him, my eyes wide.

'After that, winning wasn't hard. The fire took out the boy from 4 and the other kid was so malnourished, he could barely stand up, let alone fight me.'

'You killed her?' I'm not sure if I'm questioning it, or if I'm clarifying it. I can't think straight.

'Oh, Connor – don't you dare pretend we're any different. See, when I volunteered, I didn't realise how strong the survival instinct was. I couldn't just...die. I was eighteen, Connor. Eighteen years old. Why should I give up my life so that she could live?! I had my whole life ahead of me, Connor! My whole life! I was barely an adult.'

'So, you-'

'Oh, I'm not surprised you can't see it, Connor – no one else could! The people at District 5 – they didn't get it. I had to have round-the-clock surveillance for months before I could be safe among the townspeople. My parents disowned me. My friends were all Gem's friends too, so I never saw them again. Except my best friend. Yeah, I saw him just after the Games. He tried to strangle me to death and would've been successful if the Peacekeepers hadn't got him. Haven't seen him since.'

The tearstain has gone and Tobi is now pretty emotionless. But weary, so weary. It's like I just drained the life out of him.

'That's why Ace saved your life at the Cornucopia. Remember that? It had always been the plan for Ace to win. Not that we didn't want you to win, but there can only be one Victor, so you've gotta take a punt at who's most likely to actually do it. I told Ace to try and save your life if she could, because then she couldn't be blamed if she had to kill you eventually. District 5 couldn't hate her for killing you, if she was the only reason you were alive in the first place. So, that's my story, Connor. You happy now?'

I should probably say thank you, but all I can muster is an 'Okay.'

Tobi sighs and goes to pour himself a glass of wine. For a few moments, I'm left staring at the big candle on the windowsill, but eventually I get up and leave Tobi's house, the door closing shut behind me.

* * *

A/N: Helloooo again, peoples! Sorry, for the two week break, and thanks to the people who clearly were missing it :) It's nice to know people are eager to read the next chapter. As you can see, this was basically just one long conversation between Connor and Tobi, but I hope it still worked as a chapter, so let me know your thoughts (even if they're negative). In a few chapters time, there's going to be a rather significant time lapse, so I hope that's going to be okay - I'm just preparing you in advance. In other news, I've put up a poll which I'd love you to vote on - it's basically just asking which characters you'd like to see more from - the only ones not included are Connor and Tyga. So, yeah - please vote on the poll and, as always, please review! See you next week!


	30. Chapter 30

-_May 14__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

Crystal Hall is exactly how I remembered it. _Massive_.

Last time I was here, I had only just won my Hunger Games. Now, two years later, I return again for another Victor's Ball – except this time, it's Vice's victory we celebrate. I remember entering the hall and seeing a sea of unfamiliar faces. Granted, the majority I still don't know, but now I can pick out the occasional face in the crowd.

We enter the hall – us four Victors, Decimus and our team. Music blares from a live band on a stage in the back. All eyes turn to us – we have become quite the crowd-pleasers. The heartbroken Victor from twenty years ago who won his Games so dramatically, the pair of young recent Victors who are rumoured to be together, and of course, the star of the show – the last Victor of the Hunger Games. Yes, District 5 is quite something.

I hear a squeal from my right and as I turn, a woman with swirling green curls of hair and heels that must be at least five inches high scampers over to us.

'Oh yes! Oh yes! Come here, my loves!'

The woman beams at us, stretching her surgically altered face with glee. Her hand beckons us to follow, and she whisks Vice, Tyga and I over to near a crystal sculpture of President Snow.

'Oh yes, this is perfect! _Perfect_! The last six Victors of the Hunger Games! The _last six Victors_!'

I see Chaff, Green and Surge stood by the sculpture, looking completely unenthused by the whole situation. The woman ushers Tyga, Vice and I into them.

'Ooh yes! Ooh _yes_! This'll make the front page, for sure! Okay, Chaff, my love – just lean into the right a bit. Oh yes, oh good, oh lovely.'

I'm guessing the woman is intending to take some kind of photograph, but the looks on the other Victors' faces suggests they have been whisked into the situation in a similar way we have, confused and lacking in information.

'Okay, now Vice to the front – Vice to the front. He's the star, aren't you, my love!' She practically drags Vice to the middle of the group of us, who stand shoulder-to-shoulder. 'Okay, now Tyga and Connor, if you could get a little closer?'

I edge closer to Tyga.

'A bit more, please,' she says with a grin, 'Come on, Connor, she's not going to bite!' The woman then laughs a high pitch shrill cackle.

I edge a little closer.

'Okay, now how about your arm around her waist?' She winks at us.

Thankfully, Tyga refuses. Does this woman know that we could be an item? It suddenly worries me. Do rumours get around that fast in the Capitol? How many people suspect something? This can't be good.

'Okay, okay, be that way!' the woman says with mock disappointment, although I sense a hint of bitterness. 'Let's just get out the hologram projector.'

She then plucks an oval-shaped metal device, with a small screen on it, from out of her pocket. She aims it at us. 'Smile!' The device flashes a white light for a split-second and then she looks at the screen. A blue light now flashes from it. She presses a button and a small hologram appears, showing the six of us smiling confusedly.

'Marvellous! This will make the front page for sure! Thank you, my loves! Now, enjoy the evening!'

The woman scampers off to hunt out some more prey to take holograms of. With a high pitch squeal, I see her pounce on an unsuspecting Miami across the room, who seems at best, displeased. Green and Chaff disperse back into the crowd.

'Well, how's that for a welcome?' Surge says with a chuckle.

'Surge, this is Vice.' I say.

'Well, of course.' Surge shakes Vice's hand and beams at him. Vice smiles, but offers no form of reply.

I don't particularly want to be Vice's guide for the evening. In fact, that's the last thing that I want to do. But, to be fair, I feel kind of sorry for the kid. He's lost his whole family, and my Victor's Ball was daunting to say the least. I wouldn't want to leave him alone in this sea of insanity.

'Well at least you had a pair of very fine mentors.' Surge says.

Vice lets out a snort. It's not even malicious – he genuinely thought Surge was joking. In fact, when he realises it's not a joke, he looks a little guilty.

'Well, it's your job next year,' I reply to Vice, 'Man, Tyga's gonna have her hands full.'

Wait a second. I've only just realised that. We have another male Victor. My job is done. I never have to mentor again. Not ever. I mean after his first year, I can if I want to. But, like I'd ever _want to_ manage someone's almost inevitable death. I'm free from mentoring.

Surge laughs slightly uncomfortably, before two male Victors from 3 call him over.

'Hey, Surge – you _need_ to see the micro-inserts they have here!' A guy in his late twenties calls.

'Woah. Seriously?' I've never seen Surge's technological side, but he is from District 3 so I guess it's no surprise he's got an interest in it. 'Alright, Beetee, I'll be with you in a moment!' He turns to us. 'Anyway, fellas – Tyga.' He kisses her on the hand. 'Enjoy your evening. Nice to meet you, Vice.'

He then smiles and walks off to where his fellow mentors are enthusiastically looking over some kind of metal device. Tyga comes close to me and lowers her voice.

'I think it would be best if I left you two alone. It's probably best if we spend some time apart. Wouldn't want any...suspicions.'

Her eyes lock onto mine. Those emerald pools. I lose myself in the flourishes of green that ring around her pupils, before nodding. She looks back into my eyes for a second, and I want to kiss her and remind her that I love her. But now is not the time. So, I watch her go.

I spend the next hour or so introducing Vice to his sponsors. I don't know all of them by name, and some of them I don't even know by appearance, but the Capitol people are such that they barely pay attention to what I say anyway, so it doesn't really matter. To my surprise, Vice is quite charming – he knows how to play the game. Granted, he'll never win _nice guy of the year_ but his act is strong enough that the sponsors leave the conversation feeling they're money was well-spent.

However, all this time – the thought is nagging away at me. It's clear from most of the sponsors that they believe the rumours. Those rumours. Tyga and I. Does anyone actually know anything, or have we just been that sloppy with hiding the signs? Perhaps we can't hide it. I think about this logically – who in the Capitol knows aside from me and Tyga? Well, there's Decimus and Tobi, but they're not going to tell anyone – Decimus may be slightly off-the-wall and Tobi may have a dark past, but neither of them would tell anyone about us. For one thing, it'd be too damaging for themselves.

No – I rule them out. Carvilia doesn't _know_ as such, but I'm fairly sure she'd worked it out, but I refuse to believe that a delicate soul like her would have made it public. And then there's Miami. I thought I had her sussed, but maybe she's got more layers than I realised.

_No_, I think, _why would she_?

So that's it. I've gone through every candidate and I'm still nowhere. I guess Tyga and I are just bad actors. Or maybe the Capitol was looking for it. Two young Victors from the same district in love – that would be a dream for them. Maybe they saw their opportunity and started looking for the signs, and we were good enough to stop people noticing when they weren't looking for it, but not good enough for when they were.

I'm distracted from my thoughts when suddenly I spot the hazel snake eyes of Snyde in the crowd. And he's talking to Tyga. He then ushers her towards the elevator. As they get in, I see Tyga catch my gaze. Snyde pushes the button and as the doors hiss shut, I see Tyga mouth something to me.

_Floor three_.

It takes me at least a minute to get out of conversation with the current group of sponsors, but when I do, Vice tags along with me.

'Where the hell are you going?' He says, scowling.

'I...I need to go to the bathroom.'

'Well, that's a blatant lie.'

'Look, Vice – just go and find Tobi...or Surge. Just go find someone, they'll show you what to do.'

'You're not ditching me.'

I growl with frustration, 'Come on, Vice, seriously.'

'What's going on?'

'I can't-'

'Well, then I'm coming with you.'

'Vice!'

'Connor!' he says, matching my tone.

'Right,' I bring my voice to a whisper, 'I'm worried about Tyga. Snyde's just taken her upstairs.'

'Well then.' He marches over to the elevator. 'Care to join me?'

'Vice! What the hell?' I storm over to join him.

'What floor?' he says infuriatingly calmly.

'Vice!'

'People are looking, Connor.' He's right. I glance round.

'Floor three.'

'Thank you.' He presses the button labelled '3' and the doors hiss shut.

When the doors have closed, I raise my voice. 'Vice, what are you doing?!'

'Like you've always said, if something involves one of us, it affects all of us.' I scowl at him. 'If the idea of me wanting to help aggravates you then just think of it as me trying to save my own skin.'

Surprisingly this actually makes me feel better. It feels better to be able to fit Vice's actions into the blueprint of what I know Vice stands for. Nonetheless, I still feel uneasy.

It's a few seconds before we reach the third floor, and when the elevator doors hiss open, we storm out. Into a corridor. Doors line the sides – like a hotel. Maybe that's what Crystal Hall is when it's not hosting events. This'll take ages to find Tyga, and that's assuming none of them are locked, which they most likely are.

I try a few of the doors, as does Vice, and each refuses to budge. In fact, it seems hopeless before one of the doors opens on its own. The slinky figure of Snyde slips out of the room. I see him eye me.

'Be wise, Connor.' He says, and I barge past him into the room.

It is, like I suspected, a hotel room. The room is very large, with vanity tables and wardrobes, and a large window that overlooks the city. The carpeted floor is cream, and a massive four poster bed, with throws and duvets sits in the centre of the room. And on it, sits Tyga.

Her face is pale and hard-lined, her expression stern, yet terrified. Her dark mascara has not been smudged, the colours of her face are still as beautiful as before, but her mind is clearly racing. I sit down beside her.

'Oh, Connor. I can't- I don't-'

Vice appears at the door.

'What is _he_ doing here?'

'Nice to see you too' he spits.

'It's okay.' I say, kissing her on the top of her head. There might be cameras here – there probably are – but Snyde's conversation with Tyga would have already revealed our relationship anyway. 'He won't do anything stupid.'

For a second, Tyga looks like she's going to fight back, but then she slumps down, a drained figure, and looks into my eyes. I see her core shaking.

'He gave me an ultimatum, Connor' she whimpers.

'What? What do you mean?'

I hold her tight, her frame in mine, those eyes don't seem to want to look at me. Those beautiful eyes. They look all around – at everything, but eventually they give in and rest on me.

'Connor, he said either we end this relationship-' Her eyes glare into mine, and I feel my blood freeze. '-or they kill Tristan.'

* * *

A/N: So, there we go - bit of a plot twist there. I thought I'd give you a bit of a long chapter today for the 2 weeks I didn't update. Wow, 30 chapters! Thank you so much for sticking with this story you guys :) I really appreciate it. It came to today and I hadn't written a new chapter for you guys and I was feeling uninspired, so I went to have a look at the reviews. You guys have really left some lovely stuff in the reviews and it completely inspired me to write this chapter (and it's probably why it's so long). So honestly, thank you so much! I do take your comments into account - for example, the whole Miami backstory I did a few chapters ago was because people wanted to hear it. Which brings me on to the fact that I have a poll up. I'd really appreciate it if you voted (it's on my profile thing) because this will particularly let me know what to do regarding characters in the future chapters. So, yeah I think that's it - please please please review! What did you like - what didn't you like? I really want to know! Anyways, I'll see you guys next week :)


	31. Chapter 31

-_May 14__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

The air is ice, swirling around us as the words sink in.

I thought I was getting good at predicting the Capitol. I was wrong. How can they make me choose? End my relationship with Tyga or let Tristan die. Well, it's not really a choice – I won't sentence my brother to death. But how am I suppose to not be with Tyga – and just not being in a relationship won't be enough, we'd have to not be even suggesting at all that we were together. That means staying away from each other. I can't do that.

'Connor, _what do we do_?'

Tyga's eyes are holding back tears as she asks. But, she's meant to be my mentor. She's supposed to make the hard decisions. Not me. Not us.

'Well, it's not a choice,' Vice says, his tone firm and unwavering, 'You won't let someone die. I know you, and you won't do that.'

He's right. For all Vice's flaws, he's logical. I can feel my lip quivering and the blood has drained from my body. My words come out with much less strength than I'd intended.

'Can't we...bargain?'

'No, Connor,' Tyga says, 'The Capitol doesn't do bargains.'

'Why do the Capitol even want you apart? How does it affect them?' Vice asks from the doorway.

'If I'm seen to be in a relationship with another Victor – one of the nation's sweethearts, Snow's...investment in me goes down the drain.' Her head hangs. 'No one will want to be known as the person who Tyga cheated on Connor with. Any Victor is too loved to be that. Even the dull and unattractive Victors are too important to not be the nation's sweetheart.'

As long as Tyga's known to be with me, Snow can't make money off her – he can't use her. And that'd mean he loses power of her, and the Capitol never loses. I'm glad Vice doesn't ask about Tyga's job in the Capitol any further and it's silent for about a minute before he breaks the quiet.

'Can't you use that status as some kind of weapon?'

'What?'

'Well,' he steps a little closer, 'You say you're loved by the Capitol, which makes you important to Snow. Can't you use that in some way?'

Tyga sighs, giving in to the situation, 'No, there's nothing we could do. You can't bargain with the Capitol. It'll do whatever it deems best for itself – whatever the people of the Capitol will love it for. That's why the Games are so lavish – without the people on their side, the Capitol officials have no power. Lucky for them, the people are all so naive that they'll just accept anything that's thrown at them as long as it means more entertainment.' She sighs again.

Suddenly I feel a spark in the back of my mind. A way out? No, not quite. But something.

With a flash, my mind is whirling like crazy. Something's forming. It's crazy, but right now I have nothing left to lose.

'What if we play the Capitol people?' I blurt out.

'What? What do you mean?' Tyga says, confusion in her emerald eyes.

'We can't bargain with the Capitol itself. But, what about the people? We can use them. And the people control the Capitol.'

'Connor, what are you talking about?' Tyga asks wearily, but I can see there is a slight curiosity in her eyes. I grab her on the shoulder and look deep into her eyes, commanding her attention.

'Okay, listen to me closely, Tyga, and I need you to answer honestly.' She nods. 'Do you love me?'

'Yes,' she says with no hesitation.

'Do you trust me?'

'Yes. Always.'

'Then take my hand.'

Her hand locks into mine and suddenly my body feels warmer again. The familiar touch of Tyga's smooth fingers linked around mine feels comforting. I lead her out of the room, and Vice follows. When we reach the elevator, we find the despicable sight of Snyde waiting for us. No smirks this time, he just looks us over. My jaw locks.

'I thought it'd be a good idea if we returned together.' His eyes glint with a menace I haven't seen before. 'Show the people that there's no trouble.'

'Good idea' I reply, my voice bitter and hard.

I can feel Vice and Tyga tense behind me, but actually Snyde is, if anything, aiding my plan. The elevator journey back downstairs is quick, but agonising. I see Vice eyeing the security cameras and I wonder if he's debating killing Snyde anyway. But he doesn't and the doors hiss open.

A sea of colour greets us and we all smile, Snyde included. Apparently our lack of presence had been noticed and I hear a few chirps of happiness that the Victors from 5 are still here and ready to mingle with Capitol citizens. But I have something else on my mind. I travel through the crowd, and I realise there's gasps as well. What am I missing here?

Oh yes. It felt so natural, I'd completely forgotten that Tyga has still got her hand in mine.

'Connor, what are you doing?' she hisses under her breath at me.

I turn back to her and make eye contact. 'Trust me.'

She seems apprehensive but she nods. I return to my search and finally find what I'm looking for.

The woman with the green curls – the journalist who took our hologram earlier – is currently having a conversation with Miami, all of which is being recorded on some kind of device in her hand. I see Miami's eyes widen when she sees Tyga's hand in mine.

'Excuse me? Sorry to interrupt,' I say. The woman seems startled and when she sees Tyga and I holding hands, she practically wets herself.

'Oh my gosh! It's true! It's all true! Oh this'll be a headliner, I can-'

'Sorry, can that hologram device record video as well as images?' I ask.

'Uhh...' The woman seems unsurprisingly flustered. 'Yes...yes it can.'

'Good,' I lean into her, 'You're about to get the headline of the year.'

'What?' I hear her cry from behind as she abandons Miami and follows us, her heels clicking violently on the ground. 'I don't understand! Connor, Tyga, are you together? Is this official?'

Tyga's hand in mine, I make my way to the back of the hall, where the live band plays on a stage about two metres off the ground. The lead singer is an older woman who wears a long silky black gown and has about a foot of makeup on. I scan the stage for an entrance and I quickly spot a small flight of stairs on the left hand side.

My heart is racing in my stomach. There's a moment where I worry that I may pass out but I move past that. There's not time for that. I start up the stairs, Tyga behind me hand-in-hand. I turn briefly to reassure her and see almost every eye in the room is already on me and Tyga. No going back now.

I reach the top of the stairs and go over to the woman, who has conveniently just finished the song. I wall up to her.

'Excuse me, can I borrow the mic?'

The woman just stares at me, gaping, her surgically altered eyes confused. Eventually she steps away, leaving me and Tyga centre stage. I take the mic and turn to the audience and suddenly it hits me. Almost ever eye is on me. My mouth goes dry. I spot familiar faces in the crowd – Miami, Tobi, Surge. And Snyde who looks furious, but more than that, murderous. I have to speak. The moment's here. Have I made the wrong decision? This might not work. No, it has to work. There's not going back now. I speak.

'Excuse me?' If I hadn't already got the crowd's full attention, I do now. 'Ladies and gentlemen, I'm...I'm sorry to interrupt the music. It's just...I have something I need to say.'

I hear squeals of excitement from the audience. I turn to the left slightly and I see the journalist woman filming us intently with her hologram recorder – perfect. Tyga's by my side, hand still in mine, but I can feel her sweating.

'Me and Tyga are together.' I hear gasps and whoops from the crowd. 'Sorry to have kept you guessing for so long.' I just need to bring up those skills Decimus taught me all the way back when I was doing my Games' interview. 'But it was too important for me to not share it with you.'

There is a massive cheer from the audience. I hadn't expected this. Maybe this is going better than I'd planned.

'But one last thing – well, not really a thing. It's actually more of a question. But it's not for you. It's for Tyga.'

I turn to Tyga, who looks at me, her face a painting of confusion, nervousness and...wonder. I drop to one knee. I have no ring, so I clutch her hand with both arms and look up to her.

'Tyga Redlake, will you marry me?'

There is no way to describe the reaction from the crowd. The noise is thunderous. There are screams, gasps, tears, cries, whoops. And that doesn't even compare to what's going on in me. My stomach is in knots, my brain like a tornado, and my heart reaching for something that I may soon be able to hold.

'WE HAVE TO LET HER ANSWER NOW!' Someone calls. I realise it's Vice. He's playing along – I make a mental note to thank him later.

The crowd very quickly silences and you could hear a pin drop. I look to Tyga. There are tears in her eyes and...a smile? A glimmer of white teeth show through her lips – I did not expect this, I thought she'd be nervous. But then I remember what this is – Tyga and I agreeing to spend the rest of our life together. Sure, it's a horrific and forced situation, but when you strip it to its bare bones, it's beautiful. In the silence, one words rings out from her lips.

'Yes.'

The audience erupts in sound – nothing distinguishable, just a mass of noise. I take to my feet and hug Tyga. I'm not done yet.

'We're getting married!' I cry into the microphone. Got to keep working the audience. They go hysterical. 'Excuse me, everyone. I have some more news.' The audience hushes quickly. 'I was just speaking to our good friend, Ornlu Snyde.'

I relocate Snyde's face in the crowd. He's wearing a smile, but his eyes are daggers piercing my flesh.

'And we were discussing me and Tyga. And I mentioned that I was going to ask her to marry me. And you'll never guess what he said!' Here it is, the move that could either save me or kill me. 'He said we can host the wedding here, in the Capitol with all of you – after all, you are basically our family! But our real families will be coming with us too – my sister, Pura, and my brother, Tristan, will be there to meet each and everyone of you – Snyde promised! Tyga and I are just starting our lives together, and we want you to be there every step of the way!'

There. It's done. The crowd is screaming – several of them are in tears. Snyde can't back down from this now it's been announced to so many people.

And I may be wrong – I could be tragically wrong – but I may have just saved my family's life.

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A/N: Well, that was a thing that happened. I'd really love to know what you think of that, so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE gimme a review :) Also, as I mentioned before - I have a poll up, so I'd really appreciate it if you voted in that because it really will affect the way the rest of the story pans out. I won't be able to update next week unfortunately, but see you in two weeks time! :) But, as always, hope you enjoyed it and please review!


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: So, this chapter contains a LOT of characters. You don't really have to remember who they were as it's not really relevent for this chapter - most of them are only mentioned the once - they're just mentioned, but if you want to know, I'll just do a quick reminder of two of themhere: Vira's the Victor from District 3 and Glynn's the Victor from District 8. If you're ever confused, feel free to message me.

* * *

-_June 28__th__, Year of the 46__th __Hunger Games-_

I pace around my room. There are several events that qualify as contenders for the scariest moment of my life, and I can now add this to the list. Today. June 28th. The day I marry Tyga Redlake.

I'm in the same quarters I always am, in the training centre. To the people watching, this is part of the nostalgia – the audience want to remember the _troubles we had to face before finally being able to be together_. But, of course, I see through the Capitol's decision and it has clearly been selected to remind me that the Capitol has still got control over me.

But today, for once, is not about pleasing the Capitol. As long as I marry Tyga today, the Capitol will be happy. There's nothing I can do that will change that, so I don't need to worry. No, today is about me and Tyga.

There's a knock at the door. I call for them to come in and Miami walks through the door. Her dark hair is styled in glossy ringlets that go down to her shoulders and then the bulk of it is tied up artistically. She wears a beautiful flowing scarlet dress, with a slit down the side so she can walk – the same outfit all the bridesmaids where, except she has a rose shape stylistically blooming from the dress's shoulder.

'Tell you what, Connor, if you had told me a few years ago that I'd be maid of honour at Tyga Redlake's wedding, I would've knocked you out.' She smiles. 'You look very handsome.'

I'm wearing a white shirt, with a tuxedo and smart trousers and shoes. My tie is scarlet, tying in with the bridesmaid's outfits, and I have a rose on my lapel, the smell of which is ferociously strong. My hair has been pulled back and quiffed in a stylish manner. I've never seen my prep team as nervous as they were this morning – their work is going to be on display to the whole of Panem and, unlike the Games outfits, this time their outfit will be the only one on show.

'I'm nervous.' I say, my voice quivering slightly.

'Not surprised,' Miami says, smiling and walking over to me, 'I would be too. Competing in the Hunger Games? Piece of cake. This? Well, I'd be a lot worse than you are now.'

I see a slight glint of sadness in her eye. It's gone in a second, but I wonder if she's remembering her boyfriend that the Capitol killed all those years ago.

'Besides, I'm sure Tyga's a lot worse.'

Miami wasn't our first choice for maid of honour. Our first choice was Pura, but she didn't want any of the responsibilities, so she chose to just be a bridesmaid, while Miami took the lead role.

'You haven't seen her?'

'The girls are with her now.'

'The bridesmaids?'

'Yeah, I thought they could handle it.'

I'd wanted Shay to be a bridesmaid, but Decimus said that the Capitol would want to see people they know, so we got Glynn and Vira to fill the other spots. Whilst Tyga and Miami still don't like each other, it seems recently they've gained a mutual respect. Although, this could just be when I'm around.

Miami continues speaking, 'Since your engagement, the interviews have been relentless. I might as well have moved into Caesar's studio, I was in there that much. I haven't been back at District 1 in three weeks.'

'Sorry' I reply. Miami just laughs.

'Don't be. It's nice to be talking about something pleasant in the interviews for a change. You've really increased spirits among the Victors, you know, Connor. It's nice to know that it might not always be this bad for us. There's...hope.'

She pats me on the back, before heading back towards the door. 'Good luck, Connor,' she says, looking back, 'See you in a few hours.'

A genuine smile and then she's gone.

I'm left alone with my thoughts for a while, constantly straightening out my blazer, which is already completely perfect. I guess it's the nerves. Eventually, I'm disturbed once again. It's Tristan. Tristan is my best man. At home, that would usually be it for the male side, but in the Capitol it's traditional to have an equal number of groomsmen to match up with the bridesmaids, so Vice, Tobi and Surge will be accompanying us.

'It's time.' He says.

Suddenly the nerves erupt in me – an explosion of butterflies that dart around my gut. Tristan puts his hand on my shoulder and my racing heart slows a little. And then I turn to face him. He takes a minute, looking me up and down – a proud smile like a father.

'I can't believe this,' he says quietly, 'My little brother. Getting married.'

He then grips onto me, tightly. Too tightly, really, but I grip him back as I can tell he's trying to hide the emotion. Tristan doesn't get emotional. But it would appear today's an exception. After a good minute or two, we part.

'Anyway,' he clears his throat, blinking quickly, 'Like I said, it's time.'

We leave my room. Down the elevator I've travelled so many times, but never with the sparks flying in my stomach I feel now. Out the doors and onto the street.

The cameras are swarming, a pack of security guards keeping them at bay with the exception of a few official photographers and cameramen. Crowds scream, lining the street, having waited for hours. I smile, but it's not for the cameras this time. Once we're in the car, we begin our journey to the wedding venue.

'Here' Tristan says, passing me an earpiece. I give him a quizzical look before hooking it into my ear. I notice he is wearing an identical one.

'Connor? Can you hear me?' Decimus' sharp tones drill into my ear.

'Yes, I can hear you, Decimus.'

'Oh, good!' Decimus sounds overjoyed. 'You're set to arrive in twelve minutes. You look dashing, absolutely handsome!'

'How do you know?'

'What do you mean _how do I know_? You're live across Panem, Connor! Every station is covering this – no one would dare miss it! The bridesmaids will be arriving six minutes after you, so please be hasty with your entrance.'

I roll my eyes to Tristan who smiles, before mouthing _Is he always like this?_

_Worse_ I reply, grinning playfully.

Decimus continues to talk for the next few minutes, before he cuts off to address the bridesmaids. Without his distracting warbles, my stomach starts turning again – a mixture of anxiety, excitement, happiness, fear, confusion and a whole load of I-don't-know-what. The journey goes quickly. Too quickly. And before I know it, I'm stepping out of the car.

The venue is _beautiful_. It's the centre of the city. Two massive pools of crystal clear water stretch for hundreds of metres either side of a walkway that is a good fifty metres wide. There are then a set of stone steps – ten of them that lead to a raised platform. Following that are a set of maybe five hundred seats, with a walkway down the middle that ultimately leads to a beautifully sculpted flower arch.

The sun shines high in the sky and the overwhelming simplicity of the design startles me – this is not the Capitol style at all, but it is remarkable. However, if you had any doubt that you were in the Capitol, it is confirmed by the thousands of people who have come out, dressed in all their multi-coloured candy floss finery.

My groomsmen – Vice, Tobi and Surge – greet me when I leave the car, as does a thunderous applause. They are all dressed in scarlet suits – I know Vice and Surge weren't keen on this when Cassia first proposed it, but they're all smiles now. I'd decided that it was hypocritical for me to dwell on Tobi's Games – I did terrible things in mine, so I can't judge him.

After posing for photos, we make our way up to the archway. The arch is stone, decorated in every kind of flower you could imagine – it is truly incredible and I wonder where all these plants come from. I spot several familiar faces in the crowd. Pretty much everyone I've ever met in the Capitol was invited. I know for a fact that all forty-two of the living Victors were invited and, by the looks of things, they pretty much all turned up.

I spot Brutus. Green. Seeder. Chaff. My prep team. Cassia and Surius, looking prouder than ever. I even spot the false smiles of Snyde – I suppose he had to be invited. After all, the official story is that it was _his idea_. I wonder briefly what fate he has waiting for him when the buzz of the wedding dies down, but then I remind myself that I don't care.

Soon, I hear another roar from the crowd. The bridesmaids have arrived. I watch as Glynn and Vira step out in their scarlet dresses. And then Pura. My beautiful little sister. She can be a pain sometimes, but today she is all smiles and I'm so glad she's here. They make their way up the steps, carefully in their dresses, and the crowd lets out a deafening _aw _when Pura leaps into my arms.

'You okay?' I ask.

'It's amazing, isn't it?!' she says, her face bursting with joy.

'Not nervous?'

'Not one bit.' she replies. I take her in my arms one more time and then let her join the two other bridesmaids.

I hear the roar of the crowd work its way from the distance, getting closer, before a voice pops up in my ear again.

'Time to turn around now' Decimus says and I can just feel the warmth of his grin. I hear him turn off the earpiece and I guess he's in the car with Miami and Tyga.

I turn around, away from the steps, looking out on the Capitol. The buildings, robust and well designed glint in the perfect sunlight. I hear the roar from behind me and I know Tyga's there. My stomach swirls with fear – I'm about to get married. I'm about to get married to Tyga. Suddenly, I'm back and I'm thinking about how we first met and I'm thinking about hearing her crying in her room and wondering why and when we spoke on the screen in the arena and when she held me as I cried after winning and when we first kissed and when I proposed to her and now she's here and it's time for me to turn around and-

There she is. Looking at her is like letting my nerves slip away, like a waterfall into the deep abyss.

She is beautiful. Her dress is magnificent and ruffled at the bottom, like a princess from a fairytale, but sleek at the top, made of smooth silk. Her hair, more fiery than I've ever seen it, is tied up beautifully, ringlets curling down her neck, dancing like flames as she walks. Her lips are red, just like her jewelry. And her eyes. Those beautiful emerald pools. Locked on mine.

'You're beautiful,' I whisper.

She smiles, rows of pearly teeth bouncing with happiness, 'You're not too bad yourself.'

I catch her eyeing the great crystal pools of water and I quickly remember her fear of lakes and large areas of water. Without thinking, I hold open my hand for her. She takes it and we don't let go, sturdy as a rock.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' the man under the arch says, and a hush sweeps over the crowd like a tidal wave. 'We are gathered here today to witness the beginning of a beautiful journey that Connor Jedd and Tyga Redlake will embark on together.'

The words flow like lyrics of a song, and Tyga never lets go of my hand, nor do I let go of hers. Only when Miami and Tristan hand us the rings do we part, but we are together again in seconds. I say the words I need to say.

_I do._

Tyga says the words she needs to say.

_I do._

And then for just one second, I swear the world goes silent.

'I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride!'

Closing my eyes, I take Tyga's lips in mine, as the crowds scream. Fireworks go off in the distance, though for all I know they could be in my mind.

Because right now, everything is so perfect. I forget about everything that's happened, everything that might happen – they could never have existed for all I care because now is all the matters. Right here. Right now.

And in this very moment, _now _is perfect.

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A/N: So, there we go! A happy chapter for once, haha. I spent quite a long time trying to work out how to go about writing his chapter - please give me some feedback as to how it was :) I wanted it to almost be like a closing chapter, with some reminders about other things and people who have appeared earlier on. Because to be honest, this is kind of the closing chapter to this section.

I had debated about using this as the final chapter in this and making it into a three-part series, but I don't think it'd work as well and I don't know how long the "third part" woud be. Anyway, the next chapter is going to be very different - I'm going to hope to get it up by Monday, but there's a chance I may be making it longer than usual so it may be a bit later and it will be a crucial chapter and I don't want to upload it until I'm sure I've done it right.

Anyway, now that's out of the way. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! Honestly, I appreciate the reviews SO much! They really inspire me to write more - I know I say it all the time, but that's because it's true. And also PLEASE vote on my poll - it will really affect how the story turns out, particularly if you vote soon :) Anyway, sorry that was a bit of a long Author's Note, but thank you for sticking with me. I'll update soon :)


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